least three languages. Luncheon progressed, with sailors acting as waiters and bringing hot dishes from the galley of the yacht. The owner of the land rose and made a florid, perspiring speech in the fond hope of unloading land he could not use, at a fancy price if he could. The professor from the American College spoke warmly of Mannard, and threw in a hint or two that his own specialty could use some extra funds. Coghlan saw clearly that everybody in the world was out to get money from Mannard by any possible process and grimly reiterated to himself his own resolution not to take part in the undignified scramble by trying to marry Laurie.

The sailors brought coffee. Coghlan drank his while the speechmaking went on. Mannard talked absorbedly to the lawyer, and to the owner of the land. The children's camp seemed to be practically assured. That, to Coghlan, was one bright spot in a thumping bleak day.

He saw Mannard start to drink his coffee, then feel the cup with his hands and give it to a sailor to be taken back to the yacht to be replaced with hot coffee. It had gotten cold.

Laurie chatted brightly with Appolonius. He beamed at her.

A sailor came back with Mannard's cup. He felt it, as he always did. He lifted it toward his lips.

There was a violent cracking sound. Echoes rang all about. Voices stopped.

Mannard was staring in stupefaction at the coffee-cup in his hand. It was broken. It had been smashed by a bullet. Coffee was spilled everywhere, and Mannard absurdly held the handle of the cup from which he had been about to drink.

Coghlan was in motion even as he saw in his mind's eye the phrase in his own handwriting on a yellowed sheepskin page: "_Make sure of Mannard. To be killed._" 

It was preposterous. Mannard stood up abruptly, raging, with the smashed handle of the coffee-cup in his hand. He did not seem to realize that by rising he became an even better target. There was an instant's stunned immobility, on the part of everyone but Coghlan. He plunged forward, toppling the flimsy table in a confusion of smashed china and scrambled silverware.

"Get down!" snapped Coghlan.

He pushed Laurie's father back into his seat. All about was absolute tranquillity save for the white-faced men who picked themselves up with stiff, frightened movements after Coghlan's rush had toppled 

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