h what Lisette had alleged
concerning the forgery of his father's will, but had decided to keep the
matter to himself and see what further proof he could obtain. Therefore
he had forbidden the girl to tell Henfrey anything, for, after all, it
was quite likely that her statements could not be substantiated.

After their coffee all three returned to the Rue des Petits Champs where
Lisette, merry and full of vivacity, joined them in a cigarette.

The Sparrow had been preoccupied and thoughtful the whole evening. But
at last, as they sat together, he said:

"We shall all three go south to-morrow--to Nice direct."

"To Nice!" exclaimed Lisette. "It is hardly safe--is it?"

"Yes. You will leave by the midday train from the Gare de Lyon--and go
to Madame Odette's in the boulevard Gambetta. I may want you. We shall
follow by the _train-de-luxe_. It is best that Mr. Henfrey is out of
Paris. The Surete will certainly be searching for him."

Then, turning to Hugh, he told him that he had better remain his guest
that night, and in the morning he would buy him another suit, hat and
coat.

"There will not be so much risk in Nice as here in Paris," he added.
"After all, we ought not to have ventured out to Vian's."

Later he sat down, and after referring to a pocket-book containing
certain entries, he scribbled four cryptic telegrams which were,
apparently, Bourse quotations, but when read by their addressees were of
quite a different character.

He went out and himself dispatched these from the office of the Grand
Hotel. He never entrusted his telegrams of instructions to others.

When he returned ten minutes later he took up _Le Soir_, and searching
it eagerly, suddenly exclaimed:

"Ah! Here it is! Manfield has been successful and got away all right
with the German countess's trinkets!"

And with a laugh he handed the paper to Lisette, who read aloud an
account of a daring robbery in one of the best hotels in Cologne--jewels
valued at a hundred thousand marks having mysteriously disappeared.
International thieves were suspected, but the Cologne police had no
clue.

"M'sieur Manfield is always extremely shrewd. He is such a real ladies'
man," laughed Lisette, using some of the _argot_ of the Montmartre.

"Yes. Do you recollect that American, Lindsay--with whom you had
something to do?"

"Oh, yes, I remember. I was in London and we went out to dinner together
quite a lot. Manfield was with me and we got from his disp