me to time in a half-attentive, half-indifferent fashion
at a number of pencilled faces which adorned its earlier pages.
Suddenly, however, his attention became riveted, the man's face seemed
as if turned to stone and his whole expression transformed whilst he
gazed fixedly at one portrait as if unable to believe his eyes.

"Gods!" he cried at last, springing excitedly to his feet; "I have it!
Aha! Master Zero, we shall meet at last, and then look out for
yourself, my friend, for if ever I entertained hatred and malice and all
uncharitableness, it is towards you, and with good cause; and, Heaven
helping me, before next year is out, I'll pay you back a little of the
debt, the fearful debt, I owe you."

Quickly he also proceeded to the cable offices, and a few minutes later
another message--this time in cypher--traversed the ocean depths, as
follows:--

"To Heliostat, New York.

"Kingdom rage offing."

Which being interpreted meant--

"To the Chief of Police, New York.

"Wire latest information Zero's movements."

Early next morning the cable company handed out two messages, first to--

"Driffield. Port Natal.

"Secure at any cost. Wire result."

Second to--

"Wilkinson, Alexandra Hotel, Durban.

"Noughts and crosses hades horrify handfast holy ostrich."

Meaning--

"Sailed for England 15th April, 1879; left France for Madagascar about
September same year."

Eagerly seizing his message, the detective hurriedly mastered its
contents, and with an emphatic grunt of satisfaction started off
instantly for the lawyer's office, and an hour later yet another message
was flashed across the seas--

"To Drelincourt, London.

"Secured; starts immediately."

To which Mr Driffield was considerably astonished to receive the prompt
reply--

"To Driffield, Port Natal.

"Let him wait my arrival. Sail _Tartar_ to-morrow, bringing all needful
equipment.--Drelincourt."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

His lordship arrived in due course, and the lawyer was inexpressibly
shocked at the change which had taken place in the appearance of his
client. The man looked twenty years older, but was nevertheless strong,
vigorous, and stern, and the detective noted with secret joy the
hard-set lines in his patron's face, and felt that here at least there
would be no faltering or shrinking, no quarter given and none required,
when the bitter end came; for bitter did this astute m