l--and we spent the greater part of two hours chatting, while we
paced up and down Midway. He was a bright talker, and he entertained
me with a number of amusing incidents, graphically related, and
illustrative of the life of the Plaisance.

During the two hours, however, I broke the monotony of a continuous
tramp by an excursion, now on one side and then on the other; now to
see the glass-blowers; now the submarine exhibit; and, lastly, to the
Irish village that clustered about Blarney Castle.

It was on my return from this that, as I approached him, I saw, with
some surprise, that he was in earnest conversation with a woman, and
as I came nearer and he shifted his position slightly, I saw that the
woman was none other than that _ignis fatuus_ the brunette. Her back
was toward me, and she was squarely facing him, so that, as I came
nearer and directly toward them, I caught his eye, and, nodding with a
gesture which I think he understood, I turned away and watched the
manoeuvres of 'the little mystery,' as Brainerd so often called the
brunette, wondering if this unknown guard was also to be enmeshed in
the plot she seemed to be weaving. And then there flashed into my mind
that first meeting with the guard, and his avowed acquaintance with
Miss Jenrys. Was this interview in any way connected with or
concerning her?

The brunette had not seen me; of that I was quite assured, and even so
I had small fear of recognition, for while I had not, on the occasion
of our two meetings face to face, worn any disguise, I was confident
that the widely different garments worn on the two occasions, together
with my ability to elongate, twist, and change my features, and to
alter the pitch of my voice, was masquerade sufficient. But I did not
desire to become known to this anomalous personage, and I lingered
here and there, within sight and at a safe distance, until I saw her
nod airily and trip away, flinging a smile over her shoulder.

In the time spent in waiting the end of this little dialogue I had
decided that I must know this young man--so reticent, yet so
frank--better, and that I must win his confidence, and to do this
perfect frankness, I knew, would be my best aid.

When the 'mystery' was safely out of sight, and on this occasion I had
no desire to follow her, I rejoined the guard, and I was sure that I
surprised upon his face a look of perplexity and annoyance, which
vanished when I put my hand upon his arm, and, falling