“Who is this?  Are we to have all the scum of the earth in here?  Do you know this man, Leroy?” he asked hotly.

“Yes, I do,” answered his friend in the low, restraining tones so habitual to him.

“Yes, I should just think you do!” exclaimed the man, struggling to push past Mortimer’s outstretched arm.  It isn’t likely as you’ll forget Johann Wilfer, Adrien Leroy, nor me you either.”

“This is too much!” cried Shelton, now thoroughly enraged at this fresh interruption, and again he made as if to thrust the man away.

“Stop,” said Adrien, glancing almost sadly at Constance, who smiled lovingly back.  “Let him speak, since he is here.  Come, sir, why have you forced your way in like this?  What do you want of me?”

“What I asked a month ago,” replied Wilfer.  “I want my niece, Jessica.  I want her, an’ I’m agoin’ to have her, so you’d better own up where she is.”

Adrien turned to the others, who were standing silent in their astonishment.

“This man,” said Leroy, “has a fancied grievance against me; I know nothing of where this girl is, or what has become of her.”

“That’s false!” retorted Wilfer.  “He does know where the girl is; he took her from her home, and she hasn’t been seen since.”

Lord Barminster glanced at him coldly.

“My good man,” he said, “you heard what my son said just.  You had better make inquiries of the police.  Mr. Leroy has not seen your niece.”

“That is not quite true,” put in Adrien gently, “I have seen her.”

Lady Constance raised her pale face, and looked at him with startled but trusting eyes.

“P’raps you’ll say you didn’t take her to your rooms next,” said Wilfer.

“I don’t deny it,” replied Adrien calmly.  “I found her on a doorstep, starving with hunger, fleeing from a drunken uncle, as she said.  There was nowhere else to take her, being late at night; so I took her to my chambers and fed her, then gave her into the charge of Norgate and the housekeeper until morning, when I learned that she had disappeared.  That is all I can tell you about her; for I have not seen her since.”

“But I have,” came a voice—­a woman’s voice—­behind them, “and I have brought her here.”

The little company turned round, and Adrien started as his eyes fell upon the three new-comers.

“Ada,” he cried.  “What is the meaning of this intrusion?”

“No intrusion this time, Mr. Leroy,” she said firmly.  “I am here by your father’s own invitation.”

Jasper, who during Wilfer’s outburst had made no effort to go away, now, at the sight of Miss Lester—­who looked around her triumphantly, for this was just the kind of scene she enjoyed—­made an effort to slip past; but he was held prisoner by Shelton.

“Quite right, Miss Lester,” said Lord Barminster, courteously.  “Perhaps you will tell us what you know of the young lady.”  He glanced kindly at the shrinking figure of Jessica, who stood with adoring eyes fixed on Adrien.