ous enough but
querulous.

"My dear," he said, "this place is full of draughts. We must find a
table over there by the palm."

He pointed with his stick, and it was just at this moment that Louis,
rounding the corner from a distant part of the room, came face to face
with them. Once before during the last twenty-four hours I had been
struck with the pallor of Louis' expression. This time he stood quite
still in the middle of the floor, as though he had seen a ghost! He
was close to a pillar, and I saw his hand suddenly go out to it as
though in search of support. His breath was coming quickly. From where
I sat I could see the little beads of sweat breaking out upon his
forehead.

"Monsieur!" he exclaimed.

The newcomer turned to look at him. For a moment he seemed puzzled. It
was as though some old memory were striving to reassert itself.

"My man," he said to Louis, "surely I know your face? You have been
here a long time, haven't you?"

"Ten years, sir," Louis answered. "Permit me!"

He gave them a table not far away from mine. The memory of his face as
he preceded them down the room never left me. I glanced instinctively
towards Delora. His back was turned towards the entrance of the
restaurant, and he had apparently seen nothing. Felicia, on the
contrary, sat as though she were turned to stone. I saw her lean over
and whisper to her companion. A little murmur of excitement broke from
my companion's lips.

"This," he murmured, "is amazing! The girl is a fool to bring him
here. She must know that Louis is in it!"

"Who is the man?" I asked.

Lamartine looked at me with a curious expression in his dark eyes.

"Do you mean to say that you cannot guess?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Only that he must be some relation to Delora," I declared. "There has
been no time, though, for his brother to get across from South
America."

Lamartine smiled.

"You are dull," he said. "But watch! What is going to happen now, I
wonder?"

Delora had risen to his feet. He had the look of a man who has
received a shock. He brushed past some people who were taking their
places at a table without remark or apology. He passed my companion
and myself without even, I believe, being conscious of our presence.
He walked straight to the table where the two newcomers sat. I saw his
hand fall upon the shoulder of the other man.

"Ferdinand!" he said.

The lady of the turquoises was leaning forward in her place as though
to p