the negative, perhaps a little impatiently, when
suddenly Phrida whispered to me:

"Why, we saw this same man in Dinard, and in another place--I forget
where. He haunts us!"

"These men go from town to town," I explained. "They make a complete
round of France."

Then I suddenly recollected that the man's face was familiar. I had seen
him outside the Piccadilly Tube Station on the night of my tryst with
Mrs. Petre!

"Yes, laidee!" exclaimed the man, who had overheard Phrida's words. "I
see you Dinard--Hotel Royal--eh?" he said with a smile. "Will you buy my
lace--seelk lace; ve-ry cheep?"

"I know it's cheap," I laughed; "but we don't want it."

Nevertheless, he placed it upon the little marble-topped table for our
inspection, and then bending, he whispered into my ear a question:

"Mee-ster Royle you--eh?"

"Yes," I said, starting.

"I want see you, to-night, alone. Say no-ting to laidee till I see
you--outside your hotel eleven o'clock, sare--eh?"

I sat staring at him in blank surprise, but in a low voice I consented.

Then, very cleverly he asked in his normal voice, looking at me with his
narrow eyes, with dark brows meeting:

"You no buy at that price--eh? Ah!" and he sighed as he gathered up his
wares: "Cheep, laidee--very goot and cheep!"

And bowing, he slung them upon the heavy pile already on his shoulder and
stalked away.

"What did he say?" Phrida asked when he had gone.

"Oh, only wanted me to buy the lot for five francs!" I replied, for he
had enjoined secrecy, and I knew not but he might be an emissary of Fremy
or of Edwards. Therefore I deemed it best for the time to evade her
question.

Still, both excited and puzzled, I eagerly kept the appointment.

When I emerged from the hotel on the stroke of eleven I saw the man
without his pile of merchandise standing in the shadow beneath a tree, on
the opposite side of the boulevard, awaiting me.

Quickly I crossed to him, and asked:

"Well, what do you want with me?"

"Ah, Mee-ster Royle! I have watched you and the young laidee a long time.
You travel so quickly, and I go by train from town to town--slowly."

"Yes, but why?" I asked, as we strolled together under the trees.

"I want to tell you some-zing, mee-ster. I no Arabe--I Senos, from
Huacho."

"From Huacho!" I gasped quickly.

"Yees. My dead master he English--Sir Digby Kemsley!"

"Sir Digby!" I cried. "And you were his servant. You knew this man
Cane--why, you were the