Norah when we were walking
in Richmond Park last night."

"I quite agree," I replied. "Then we'll fly across to Paris at
lunch-time to-morrow, and keep watch upon this man who meets Miss
Tennison in secret and then uses a thieves' sanctuary in order to
escape."

"That story of the absconding customer of the bank is a fiction, I
believe," Harry exclaimed.

"I'm certain it is," I said.

"Then why should he have told it to you if he did not suspect that you
had been watching?" my friend queried.

I had not considered that point. It was certainly strange, to say the
least, that he should thus have endeavoured to mislead me.

Next morning Hambledon was up early and went to Charing Cross, where
he watched the banker's departure. Afterwards he returned, and with
our suit-cases we travelled down to the London Terminal Aerodrome at
Croydon, where, just before noon, we entered one of the large
passenger aeroplanes which fly between London and Paris. Within half
an hour of our arrival at the aerodrome we were already in the air
sailing gaily southward towards Lympne, near Folkestone, where we had
to report previous to crossing the Channel.

The morning was bright, and although cold the visibility was
excellent. Below us spread a wide panorama of tiny square fields and
small clusters of houses that were villages, and larger ones with
straight roads running like ribbons through them, which were towns.

The dark patches dotting the ground beneath us were woods and
coppices, while running straight beneath was a tiny train upon the
railway between Folkestone and London. There were three other
passengers beside ourselves, apparently French business men, who were
all excitement, it evidently being their first flight.

Very soon we could see the sea, and presently we could also discern
the French coast.

As we approached Lympne the observer telephoned by wireless back to
Croydon telling them of our position, and in a few moments we were
high over the Channel. At Marquise, on the other side, we again
reported, and then following the railway line we sped towards Paris
long before the express, by which the banker was travelling, had left
Calais.

Indeed, shortly before three o'clock we had installed ourselves at the
Hotel Terminus at the Gare St. Lazare, in Paris, and afterwards took
a stroll along the boulevards, awaiting the time when the express from
Calais was due at the Gare du Nord.

Shortly before half-past five Hambl