and was blowing the mist hither
and thither, striving to disperse it, but not yet succeeding in
mastering it, for it only shifted restlessly to and fro, like the giant
garments of titanic ghosts, revealing now a distant peep of sea, anon
the interior of a colonnaded cavern, abode of mysterious ghouls, or
again a nest of gulls in a deep crevice of the chalk: revealing and
hiding again:--a shroud dragged listlessly over monstrous dead things.

Sir Marmaduke de Chavasse had some difficulty in keeping to the footpath
which leads from the woods of Acol straight toward the cliffs. Unlike
Adam Lambert, his eyes were unaccustomed to pierce the moist pall which
hid the distance from his view.

Strangely enough he had not cast aside the fantastic accouterments of
the French prince, and though these must have been as singularly
uncomfortable, as they were inappropriate, for a midnight walk,
nevertheless, he still wore the heavy perruque, the dark mustache,
broad-brimmed hat, and black shade which were so characteristic of the
mysterious personage.

He had heard the church clock at Acol village strike half an hour after
eleven and knew that the smith would already be waiting for him.

The acrid smell of seaweed struck forcibly now upon his nostrils. The
grass beneath his feet had become more sparse and more coarse. The
moisture which clung to his face had a taste of salt in it. Obviously he
was quite close to the edge of the cliffs.

The next moment and without any warning a black outline appeared in the
moon-illumined density. It was Adam Lambert pacing up and down with the
impatience of an imprisoned beast of prey.

A second or two later the febrile hand of the smith had gripped Sir
Marmaduke's shoulder.

"You have brought those proofs?" he queried hoarsely.

His face was wet with the mist, and he had apparently oft wiped it with
his hand or sleeve, for great streaks of dirt marked his cheeks and
forehead, giving him a curious satanic expression, whilst his short lank
hair obviously roughed up by impatient fingers, bristled above his
square-built head like the coat of a shaggy dog.

In absolute contrast to him, Sir Marmaduke looked wonderfully calm and
tidy. In answer to the other man's eager look of inquiry, he made
pretense of fumbling in his pockets, as he said quietly:

"Yes! all of them!"

As if idly musing, he continued to walk along the path, whilst the smith
first stooped to pick up a small lantern which he