with any affairs which
might bring him into touch with such people as Louis and his
associates?"

"I will be frank with you," the young man said. "I do not know what
his business was. Neither, curiously enough, does my chief. My
instructions simply were to meet him, and to see him day by day. You
yourself can judge how well I have succeeded!"

"Have you been to the police?" I asked.

"I have not," Lamartine answered. "We have written out to Brazil
explaining the circumstances, and asking for a cablegram in reply. By
the bye," he continued, a little diffidently, "did it strike you last
night that Miss Delora must have been associated with that blackguard
Louis in his little attempt upon me?"

"I do not believe anything of the sort!" I answered shortly.

The young man smiled cynically.

"It is perhaps natural," he answered.

"You are not seriously suggesting," I asked, "that a young lady in the
position of Miss Delora would descend to scheming with a head-waiter?"

"Captain Rotherby," my companion said, "I do not know anything. I do
not understand anything. I only know that the Delora business has
puzzled me,--has puzzled my chief. We have important communications
for Mr. Delora, and he cannot be found."

"It is not possible," I declared, "for a man to disappear in London."

"A man may disappear anywhere," Lamartine said dryly, "when such
people as Louis are interested in him! However, we do no good by
comparing notes when we neither of us know anything. If I should gain
any information of Mr. Delora's whereabouts--"

I gave him my card quickly.

"We will exchange our news," I assured him. "It is a promise."

He bowed, and left me with a little farewell wave of the hand.

CHAPTER XXII

A FORMAL CALL

I changed my mind about calling at the Milan that morning, but toward
five o'clock in the afternoon I presented myself there, and gave the
hall-porter my card to send up to Miss Delora. He received me with
some surprise, but I explained that I had been obliged to postpone my
visit into the country.

"Miss Delora has asked twice about you this morning, sir," he
announced. "I gave her your country address."

"Quite right," I answered. "By the bye, is Mr. Delora visible yet?"

"Not yet, sir," the man answered. "Rather a curious thing about his
return, sir," he added. "Not a soul has even seen him yet."

I nodded, but made no remark. Presently the boy who had taken my card
up returned.

"Miss D