garage gent he said it would amount to two pounds
ten in English money, so I'll have to leave you to work it out for
yourself. The shuvver, he said sommink about 'poor boars'--which I've
heard is wot you has to give 'em as a tip to themselves, Gov'nor--so I
promised him 'arf a crown to stop at 'tother end of that passage leadin'
up from The Twisted Arm till he was wanted, sir. Made it a good tip
because I wanted him to be there sure--it would have been a case of
'nab' for us if he hadn't. Wasn't too much, was it, sir?"

"No," said Cleek--and let him see that it wasn't by giving the chauffeur
a pourboire of ten francs and sending him back to the garage with the
impression that he had had dealings with a millionaire.

Ten minutes later the hotel register bore the record of the arrival of
"Mr. Philip Barch and servant"; and one attendant was engaged in showing
the servant into a neat little bedroom which was to be his resting-place
until morning while another was ushering the master into the suite
engaged by the Baron de Carjorac.

Three persons were there: the Baron, his daughter, and his daughter's
companion; but Cleek saw but one--and that the only one who made no
movement, uttered no sound, when he came into the room. Curiously pale
and curiously quiet, she stood with one arm resting on the mantelpiece
and the other hanging by her side, looking at him--looking _for_ him,
in fact--but not saying one word, not making one sound. That she left
wholly to the baron and his daughter.

They, too, maintained, although with an effort, an appearance of
composure so long as the hotel servant was present; but in the moment
the door closed and the man was gone an overpowering excitement seized
and mastered them.

"Monsieur, for the love of God, don't tell me you have failed," implored
the baron. "I have died a hundred deaths of torture and suspense since
your card was carried up. But if I am to hear bad news ... Oh, my
country!"

"Don't cross bridges, baron, until you come to them," said Cleek
composedly. "I gave Miss Lorne my promise that I would not leave France
until I had done what she asked me to do; and--I am returning to England
to-morrow by the noon boat. I have had an exciting evening, but it has
had its compensation. Here is something for you. I had a bit of a fight
for it, baron--look out that it doesn't get into the wrong hands again."

He had taken a small packet of torn papers from his pocket while he was
spea