had to go to town," said his hostess. "Almost as soon
as you had gone he was rung up, and he had to get a taxi out from
Guildford. He'll be back to-morrow."

"Oh, yes--and, by the way, Hugh," exclaimed Louise, "there was a call
for you about a quarter of an hour afterwards. I thought nobody knew you
were down here."

"For me!" gasped Henfrey, instantly alarmed.

"Yes, I answered the 'phone. It was a girl's voice!"

"A girl! Who?"

"I don't know who she was. She wouldn't give her name," Louise replied.
"She asked if we were Shapley, and I replied. Then she asked for you. I
told her that you were out in the car and asked her name. But she said
it didn't matter at all, and rang off."

"I wonder who she was?" remarked Hugh, much puzzled and, at the same
time, greatly alarmed. He scented danger. The fact in itself showed that
somebody knew the secret of his hiding-place, and, if they did, then the
police were bound to discover him sooner or later.

Half an hour afterwards he took Mrs. Bond aside, and pointed out the
peril in which he was placed. His hostess, on her part, grew alarmed,
for though Hugh was unaware of it, she had no desire to meet the police.
That little affair in Paris was by no means forgotten.

"It is certainly rather curious," the woman admitted. "Evidently it is
known by somebody that you are staying with me. Don't you think it would
be wiser to leave?"

Hugh hesitated. He wished to take Benton's advice, and told his hostess
so. With this she agreed, yet she was inwardly highly nervous at
the situation. Any police inquiry at Shapley would certainly be most
unwelcome to her, and she blamed herself for agreeing to Benton's
proposal that Hugh should stay there.

"Benton will be back to-morrow," Hugh said. "Do you think it safe for me
to remain here till then?" he added anxiously.

"I hardly know what to think," replied the woman. She herself had a
haunting dread of recognition as Molly Maxwell. She had crossed and
recrossed the Atlantic, carefully covering her tracks, and she did not
intend to be cornered at last.

After dinner, Hugh, still greatly perturbed at the mysterious telephone
call, played billiards with Louise. About a quarter to eleven, however,
Mrs. Bond was called to the telephone and, closing the door, listened to
an urgent message.

It was from Benton, who spoke from London--a few quick, cryptic, but
reassuring words--and when the woman left the room three minutes later
all he