Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/353

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A TOWN IN PAWN
341

private room, where they refreshed themselves while he related what had happened. Shortly after the recital was finished the steward of the club, a solemn-faced man, came into the private room.

"Lord Stranleigh," he asked, "do you wish it known that you are in the club?"

"I'd rather not have it known, if you don't mind."

"There have been a great many telephone calls for you, and the number of pressmen in the lobby is increasing every minute."

"Would you tell them that there is nothing to say. That may give away the fact of my presence here, but, nevertheless, it would be quite useless for me to see one or all of them. Say that I have had full particulars of the affair typewritten: how it was done, and all the information they can require; and this document is in the hands of Mr. Jasper Dent, at the offices of the News Corporation, Limited. He has instructions to give them access to the document, only part of which he himself has used in his first messages over the wires."

"Thank you, my lord. Your man, Ponderby, has telephoned to the effect that there is also a crowd collected before your door, and he wants to know what to do with them. Shall he send for the police?"

"Oh, bless you, no. Tell Ponderby what I have