is escort."

This reminiscence had brought them to Berkeley Square. Fairfield felt
his heart thumping quickly although his face was impassive as the door
was opened in response to Foyle's ring. She might be out; she might
refuse to see them. Neither of the two alternatives happened. Within
three minutes Eileen had descended to them in the drawing-room.

She stopped, a graceful figure in black, by the doorway, and gave a
barely perceptible start as her eyes rested on the baronet. She bowed
coldly.

"I did not know you were here, Sir Ralph. I understood Mr. Foyle wished
to see me."

She was frigid and self-possessed. He had half expected some expression
of apology for the wrong she had done him, but she entirely ignored
that. But that Fairfield had himself well in hand he would have openly
resented the snub inflicted on him. It was Foyle who answered.

"I brought Sir Ralph here. I thought his presence might be necessary."

She moved across the room, and sank on a couch with a petulant frown.

"Well, I suppose you have some disagreeable business to transact. Let us
get it over."

The superintendent knew that he was dealing with a woman entirely on her
guard. Her steady grey eyes were fixed on him closely, as though she
could read his thoughts. He thought he could detect a slight twitching
of the slender hands that rested idly on her lap.

"I want to know," he said slowly, "the meaning of the advertisement
addressed to you by Robert Grell in this morning's _Daily Wire_."

He could have sworn that his shot had hit, that she flinched a little as
he spoke. But if so she showed no further sign. Instead, her face was
all astonishment as she replied--

"I don't quite understand. What advertisement? I know nothing about Mr.
Grell since he left Grosvenor Gardens. Will you explain?"

Deliberately the superintendent took from his breast-pocket a copy of
the _Daily Wire_, folded back at the personal column, and read:

"E. L27.14.5. To-morrow. B."

"That," he said, "is addressed to you. It is hardly worth while denying
knowledge of it. It was found last night on a man arrested for attempted
housebreaking at Mr. Grell's house. I ordered that it be sent to the
paper, together with another intended for the eye of Sir Ralph
Fairfield."

Her interest was plainly awakened.

"Then the other was for you!" she cried, turning to Fairfield. "I
wondered if----"

She paused with the realisation that she had admitted what she ha