to relax his grip of the
rail. He turned towards Lucille, and she saw him for the first time
distinctly--a thin, wizened-up little man, with shrewd kindly eyes, and
a long deeply cut mouth.

"I trust," he said, "that you will not think me impertinent, but it
occurred to me that you have noticed some apparent interest of mine in
your movements since you arrived on the boat."

Lucille nodded.

"It is true," she answered. "That is why I came and stood by your side.
What do you want with me?"

"Nothing, madam," he answered. "I am here altogether in your interests.
If you should want help I shall be somewhere near you for the next few
hours. Do not hesitate to appeal to me. My mission here is to be your
protector should you need one."

Lucille's eyes grew bright, and her heart beat quickly.

"Tell me," she said, "who sent you?"

He smiled.

"I think that you know," he answered. "One who I can assure you will
never allow you to suffer any harm. I have exceeded my instructions in
speaking to you, but I fancied that you were looking worried. You need
not. I can assure you that you need have no cause."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I knew," she said, "that those telegrams were forgeries."

He looked carefully around.

"I know nothing about any telegrams," he said, "but I am here to see
that no harm comes to you, and I promise you that it shall not. Your
friend is looking out of the cabin door. I think we may congratulate
ourselves, madam, on an excellent passage."

Lady Carey disembarked, a complete wreck, leaning on the arm of her
maid, and with a bottle of smelling salts clutched in her hand. She
slept all the way in the train, and only woke up when they were nearing
Paris. She looked at Lucille in astonishment.

"Why, what on earth have you been doing to yourself?" she exclaimed.
"You look disgustingly fit and well."

Lucille laughed softly.

"Why not? I have had a nap, and we are almost at Paris. I only want a
bath and a change of clothes to feel perfectly fresh."

But Lady Carey was suspicious.

"Have you seen any one you know upon the train?" she asked.

Lucille shook her head.

"Not a soul. A little man whom I spoke to on the steamer brought me some
coffee. That is all."

Lady Carey yawned and shook out her skirts. "I suppose I'm getting old,"
she said. "I couldn't look as you do with as much on my mind as you must
have, and after traveling all night too."

Lucille laughed.

"After all," s