"The general plan was mine," said Baggin gruffly.
"And the absurd details were probably mine," admitted Grayson with cheerfulness.
"May I give you some suggestions?" asked the count politely.
"Go ahead!" returned Baggin.
"This afternoon—after I had deciphered your notes—it took me precisely two hours by the cathedral chimes to work out the key—I ventured to revise them, and also to devise a different plan of retirement for the committee. You would care to know it?" He looked deferentially at Baggin, whose bent brows relaxed.
"Draw up your chair to the table," he said in reply. "We'll overhaul the entire proposition. There will be difficulties—— If you could invest an equal share of money——"
"I thought of that," answered the count simply. "And I fancy I can—how you say—raise the required amount. May I speak for a moment to Mr. Grayson—on a very personal matter?"
He drew the older man aside, and conversed with him briefly, in low tones.
Surprise, incredulity, displeasure chased each other across Grayson's countenance in rapid succession. "Very well," he said finally, somewhat brusquely. "You have my consent—until I see Doris."
They returned to the table. "I will be security for Count Poltavo," he declared to Baggin, "for half-a-million pounds."