ng people approached he touched his cap and laid a hand on the
door of the car.

"Be watchful and careful," whispered Selwood, as he and Peggie crossed
the pavement. "Leave all to me!"

He himself was keenly alert to whatever might be going to happen. It
seemed to him, from the chauffeur's action, that they were to be
invited, or Peggie was to be invited, to enter the car. Very good--but
he was going to know who was in that car before any communications of
any sort were entered upon. Also, Peggie was not going to exchange one
word with anybody, go one step with anybody, unless he remained in close
attendance upon her. The phraseology of the mysterious note; the
clandestine fashion in which it had been brought under Peggie's notice;
the extraordinary method adopted of procuring an interview with her--all
these things had aroused Selwood's suspicions, and his natural sense of
caution was at its full stretch as he walked across to the car,
wondering what he and Peggie were about to confront.

What they did confront was a pleasant-faced, white-haired, elderly lady,
evidently a woman of fashion and of culture, who bent forward from her
seat with a kindly, half-apologetic smile.

"Miss Wynne?" she said inquiringly. "How do you do? And this gentleman
is, no doubt, Mr. Selwood, of whom I have heard? You must forgive this
strange conduct, this extraordinary manner of getting speech with you--I
am not a free agent. Now, as I have something to say--will you both come
into the car and hear it?"

Peggie, who was greatly surprised at this reception, turned diffidently
to her companion. And Selwood, who had been gazing earnestly at the
elderly lady's face, and had seen nothing but good intention in it, felt
himself considerably embarrassed.

"I--well, really, this is such a very strange affair altogether that I
don't know what we ought to do," he said. "May I suggest that if you
wish to talk to Miss Wynne, we should go to her house? It's only just
round the corner, and----"

"But that's just what I am not to do," replied the lady, with an amused
laugh. "I repeat--I am not exactly a free agent. It's all very strange,
and very unpleasant, and sounds, no doubt, very mysterious, but I am
acting--practically--under orders. Let me suggest something--will you
and Miss Wynne come into the car, and I will tell the man to drive
gently about until you have heard what I have to say? Come now!--I am
not going to kidnap you, and you can't c