aid:

"Don't be a fool. You are a most excellent fellow, Hargreave, except
when you get these little fits of squeamishness."

It was on the tip of my tongue to roundly refuse to have anything
further to do with him and leave the house, but I knew, alas! that now
I had stolen the famous ruby in Paris he would have no compunction in
giving me over to the police.

And if I, in turn, gave information against him, what could I really
prove? Practically nothing! Rayne was always clever enough to preserve
himself from any possibility of suspicion. It was that fact which
marked him as the most amazing and ingenious crook.

So I was forced to remain silent, and a few minutes later left the
room.

On the following Friday Mr. Lloyd left us. Rayne bade him a regretful
farewell, after making him promise to return to us for a fortnight
when he got back from Spain.

"Probably my secretary, Hargreave, will have to go to Madrid upon
business for me. I have some interest in a tramway company at
Salamanca. So you may possibly meet."

"I hope we do, Mr. Hargreave," said the old gentleman, turning to me
warmly. "I shall certainly take your advice and try Madrid for a few
weeks."

"Yes, do. You'll like it, I'm sure," his host assured him, and then we
drove away.

"When are you going to Spain?" Mr. Lloyd asked me as he sat at my side
on our way to Thirsk station.

"I really don't know," was my evasive reply. "Mr. Rayne has not yet
fixed the date."

"Well, here's my address," he said, handing me a card with his name
and "Reform Club" on it. "I wish you'd write me when your journey is
fixed and perhaps we might travel together. I'd be most delighted to
have you as my companion on the journey."

I took the card, thanked him, and promised that I would let him know
the date of my departure.

CHAPTER X

THE PAINTED ENVELOPE

On my return I told Rayne of the old man's invitation, whereat he
rubbed his hands in warm approval.

"Excellent!" he cried. "You must travel with him and keep an eye upon
him--just to see that nobody--well, that nobody molests the poor old
fellow," he laughed grimly.

I saw his meaning, but I was in no way anxious to become the traveling
companion of a man who had, without doubt, been marked down as the
next victim.

A fact that aroused my curiosity was that all the time Mr. Lloyd had
been with us Duperre had been absent--in Brussels, I believe. His
identity was evidently being concealed with