rest I feel in the case I am about to lay bare to you is not, I
confess, purely impersonal. But I hope under the circumstances you will
think none the less of me for that.

My first distant glimpse of the man Brown created, as I have said, an
unfavourable impression upon my mind. I thought that he had a swaggering
air of conceit and self-importance extremely unbecoming in a man of his
class. He had the air of thinking himself equal to his betters, which is
a dangerous thing in a person entrusted with the care of ladies. My
impression was confirmed by some of the tales which Molly told me of her
automobile experiences, not only quite unconscious that they militated
against her _chauffeur_, but apparently believing them to his credit. I
began to fear that the fellow was one to take advantage of the trust
placed in him by two unprotected women, whom he doubtless has guessed to
be well provided with money. My definite suspicions went at first no
further than this, though there was a kind of detective premonition in
my mind that more might remain to be found out. I might have confined
myself to tacit disapproval, however, or a word of advice to Molly, and
perhaps one stern warning to the man, had I not gone into the golf club
at Pau on our last day there. To my intense astonishment I saw Brown on
the links attempting to get members to play with him by passing himself
off as a gentleman. He wore good clothes, and acted his part fairly
well--well enough, perhaps to deceive the unobservant. But he is not the
sort of person I should ever mistake for a gentleman. I went up to him,
and very quietly ordered him off the links, threatening to expose him
publicly. But he whined for mercy, and I, in a moment of weak good
nature, let him off, on his promise to go at once. I inquired, however,
of the steward what name he had given on seeking admittance, and was
startled to find that he had passed himself off as the Honourable John
Winston, his late master and the owner of the car which Molly is now
using. As I had bound myself to keep silence, I did not betray him, but
the fact just discovered confirmed my distrust of the man as a dangerous
and unscrupulous person.

For Molly's sake I felt that I must begin investigation, so as to be
able in the end to expose Brown and let her see him in his real
character; but for several reasons not necessary to trouble you with it
was essential to proceed with extreme caution.

It was unbearable to