st, or dinner. You have merely to say
the word."

He turned towards the door, closely followed by Douaille, who, in a
state of great excitement, refused to listen to Selingman's entreaties.

"No, no!" the former objected, shaking his head. "I will not stay. I
will not be associated with this meeting. You are bunglers, all of you.
I came only to listen, on your solemn assurance of entire secrecy. We
are spied upon at the Villa Mimosa, we are made fools of on board this
yacht. No more unofficial meetings for me!"

"Quite right, old fellow," Richard declared, as they passed out and on
to the deck. "Set of wrong 'uns, those chaps, even though Mr. Grex is a
Grand Duke. You know Sir Henry Hunterleys, don't you?"

Hunterleys came forward from the gangway, at the foot of which the
pinnace was waiting.

"We are taking Monsieur Douaille ashore," Richard explained, as the two
men shook hands. "He really doesn't belong to that gang and he wants to
cut adrift. You understand my orders exactly, captain?" he asked, as
they stepped down the iron gangway.

"Perfectly, sir," was the prompt reply. "You may rely upon me. I am
afraid they are beginning to make a noise downstairs already!"

The little pinnace shot out a stream of light across the dark, placid
sea. Douaille was talking earnestly to Hunterleys.

"Pleasantest few minutes I ever spent in my life," Richard murmured, as
he took out his cigarette case.

CHAPTER XXXVII

AN AMAZING ELOPEMENT

The sun was shining brilliantly and the sky was cloudless as Richard
turned his automobile into the grounds of the Villa Mimosa, soon after
nine o'clock on the following morning. The yellow-blossomed trees,
slightly stirred by the west wind, formed a golden arch across the
winding avenue. The air was sweet, almost faint with perfume. On the
terrace, holding a pair of field-glasses in her hand and gazing intently
out to sea, was Fedora. At the sound of the motor-horn she turned
quickly. She looked at the visitor in surprise. A shade of pink was in
her face. Lane brought the car to a standstill, jumped out and climbed
the steps of the terrace.

"What has brought you here?" she asked, in surprise.

"I have just come to pay you a little visit," he remarked easily. "I was
only afraid you mightn't be up so early."

She bit her lip.

"You have no right to come here at all," she said severely, "and to
present yourself at this hour is unheard of."

"I came early entirely out