p over the
promontory and back again down to the sea, until they passed through the
little frontier town of Ventimiglia.

It was late, and few people were about in the narrow, ill-lit streets.

Suddenly, a couple of Italian carabineers stopped the car.

Hugh's heart beat quickly. Had they at the _dogana_ discovered the trick
and telephoned from the frontier?

Instantly the fugitive reassumed his role of invalid, and no sooner had
he settled himself than the second man in a cocked hat and heavy black
cloak opened the door and peered within.

Another lamp was flashed upon his face.

The carabineer asked in Italian:

"What is your name, signore?"

But Hugh, pretending that he did not understand the language, asked:

"Eh? What?"

"Here are our papers, signore," interrupted the ever-ready chauffeur,
and he produced the papers for the officer's inspection.

He looked at them, bending to read them by the light of the torch which
his companion held.

Then, after an officious gesture, he handed them back, saying:

"_Benissimo_! You may pass!"

Again Hugh was free! Yet he wondered if that examination had been
consequent upon the hue and cry set up now that he had escaped from
Monaco.

They passed out of the straggling town of Ventimiglia, but instead of
turning up the valley by that long road which winds up over the Alps
until it reaches the snow and then passes through the tunnel on the Col
di Tenda and on to Cuneo and Turin, the mysterious driver kept on by the
sea-road towards Bordighera.

Hugh realised that his guide's intention was to go in the direction of
Genoa.

About two miles out of Ospedaletti, on the road to San Remo, Henfrey
rapped at the window, and the chauffeur, who was travelling at high
speed, pulled up.

Hugh got out and said in French:

"Well, so far we've been successful. I admire your ingenuity and your
pluck."

The man laughed and thanked him.

"I have done what I was told to do," he replied simply. "Monsieur is, I
understand, in a bit of a scrape, and it is for all of us to assist each
other--is it not?"

"Of course. But who told you to do all this?" Hugh inquired, standing in
the dark road beside the car. The pair could not see each other's faces,
though the big head-lamps glared far ahead over the white road.

"Well--a friend of yours, m'sieur."

"What is his name?"

"Pardon, I am not allowed to say."

"But all this is so very strange--so utterly mysterious!" cried Hug