game is that he'll be indisposed to-morrow and keep his private
rooms. He'll pretend that he's done himself too well with you
to-night. I shall be with him--I don't sleep to-night, but play
watch-dog. To-morrow his breakfast will go away untouched--and mine
also. We shall then partake of the secret food.

"After noon it's up to you. I can't say what Doria will do; but you
mustn't give him the chance to do anything. If he wants to see
Albert, use your authority and tell him he cannot do so until I
return. Put the blame on me; and if he's wicked use your iron."

"He may, of course, bolt when he knows the game is up," said Mark.
"He may be off already."

"Not he," answered Peter. "It's contrary to reason to suppose he'll
guess that I can possibly know what I know. He underrates me far too
much to give me credit for that. He won't beat it; he'll bluff
it--till too late. I don't fear to lose him; I only fear to lose
Albert."

"Trust me that far."

"I'm going to. And I want to plan a little surprise of some sort, so
that Albert unconsciously helps us. We can't ask him to do anything
cute himself; he's not built that way; but he's the king to be
guarded and if the king makes an unexpected move, much may be
gained. We've got to be alive to a dozen possibilities. If, for
instance, poison is attempted and found to fail--"

"How if we gave it out that it had succeeded and that Mr. Redmayne