houlder. He turned abruptly around.

"I have just made an enquiry of the floor waiter," the clerk announced.
"He believes that Mr. Lane is still in his room."

Hunterleys thanked the man and hurried to the lift. In a few moments he
was knocking at the door of Lane's rooms. His heart gave a great jump as
a familiar voice bade him enter. He stepped inside and closed the door
behind him. Richard, in light blue pyjamas, sat up in bed and looked at
his visitor with a huge yawn.

"Say, old chap, are you in a hurry or anything?" he demanded.

"Do you know the time?" Hunterleys asked.

"No idea," the other replied. "The valet called me at eight. I told him
I'd shoot him if he disturbed me again."

"It's nearly three o'clock!" Hunterleys declared impressively.

"Can't help it," Richard yawned, throwing off the bed-clothes and
sitting on the edge of the bed. "I am young and delicate and I need my
rest. Seriously, Hunterleys," he added, "you take a chap out and make
him drive you at sixty miles an hour all through the night, you keep him
at it till nearly six in the morning, and you seem to think it a tragedy
to find him in bed at three o'clock in the afternoon. Hang it, I've only
had eight hours' sleep!"

"I don't care how long you've had," Hunterleys rejoined. "I am only too
thankful to find you. Now listen. Is your brain working? Can you talk
seriously?"

"I guess so."

"You remember our talk last night?"

"Every word of it."

"The time has come," Hunterleys continued,--"your time, I mean. You said
that if you could take a hand, you'd do it. I am here to beg for your
help."

"You needn't waste your breath doing that," Richard answered firmly.
"I'm your man. Go on."

"Listen," Hunterleys proceeded. "Is your yacht in commission?"

"Ready to sail at ten minutes' notice," the young man assured him
emphatically, "victualled and coaled to the eyelids. To tell you the
truth, I have some idea of abducting Fedora to-day or to-morrow."

"You'll have to postpone that," Hunterleys told him. "I want to borrow
the yacht."

"She's yours," Richard assented promptly. "I'll give you a note to the
captain."

"Look here, I want you to understand this clearly," Hunterleys went on.
"If you lend me the _Minnehaha_, well, you commit yourself a bit. You
see, it's like this. I've one man of my own in Grex's household. He came
to me this morning. Monsieur Douaille objects to cross again the
threshold of the Villa Mimosa. He fears