across the Channel for a brief visit with his old friend,
but the news of the Russian's escape had already cast a shadow upon his
outing, so that though he had but just arrived he was already
contemplating an immediate return to London.

"It is not that I fear for myself, Paul," he said at last. "Many
times in the past have I thwarted Rokoff's designs upon my life; but
now there are others to consider. Unless I misjudge the man, he would
more quickly strike at me through my wife or son than directly at me,
for he doubtless realizes that in no other way could he inflict greater
anguish upon me. I must go back to them at once, and remain with them
until Rokoff is recaptured--or dead."

As these two talked in Paris, two other men were talking together in a
little cottage upon the outskirts of London. Both were dark,
sinister-looking men.

One was bearded, but the other, whose face wore the pallor of long
confinement within doors, had but a few days' growth of black beard
upon his face. It was he who was speaking.

"You must needs shave off that beard of yours, Alexis," he said to his
companion. "With it he would recognize you on the instant. We must
separate here in the hour, and when we meet again upon the deck of the
Kincaid, let us hope that we shall have with us two honoured guests who
little anticipate the pleasant voyage we have planned for them.

"In two hours I should be upon my way to Dover with one of them, and by
tomorrow night, if you follow my instructions carefully, you should
arrive with the other, provided, of course, that he returns to London
as quickly as I presume he will.

"There should be both profit and pleasure as well as other good things
to reward our efforts, my dear Alexis. Thanks to the stupidity of the
French, they have gone to such lengths to conceal the fact of my escape
for these many days that I have had ample opportunity to work out every
detail of our little adventure so carefully that there is little chance
of the slightest hitch occurring to mar our prospects. And now
good-bye, and good luck!"

Three hours later a messenger mounted the steps to the apartment of
Lieutenant D'Arnot.

"A telegram for Lord Greystoke," he said to the servant who answered
his summons. "Is he here?"

The man answered in the affirmative, and, signing for the message,
carried it within to Tarzan, who was already preparing to depart for
London.

Tarzan tore open the envelope, and as he re