now the men," I argued. "You can at least tell us
who they really are."

He shook his head, still disinclined, for some hidden reason, to reveal
the truth to me.

"You saw no woman on board?" he asked suddenly, looking straight into my
eyes.

"No. Hornby told me that he and Chater were alone."

"And yet an hour after you left a man and a woman came ashore and
disappeared! Ah! If we only had a description of that woman it would
reveal much to us."

"She was young and dark-haired, so the detective says. She had a curious
fixed look in her eyes which attracted him, but she wore a thick motor
veil, so that he could not clearly discern her features."

"And her companion?"

"Middle-aged, prematurely gray, with a small dark mustache."

Jack Durnford sighed and stroked his chin.

"Ah! Just as I thought," he exclaimed. "And they were actually here, in
this port, a week ago! What a bitter irony of fate!"

"I don't understand you," I said. "You are so mysterious, and yet you
will tell me nothing!"

"The police, fools that they are, have allowed them to escape, and they
will never be caught now. Ah! you don't know them as I do! They are the
cleverest pair in all Europe. And they have the audacity to call their
craft the _Lola_--the _Lola_, of all names!"

"But as you know who and what the fellows are, you ought, I think, in
common justice to Hutcheson, to tell us something," I complained. "If
they are adventurers, they ought to be traced."

"What can I do--a prisoner here on board?" he argued bitterly. "How can
I act?"

"Leave it all to me. I'm free to travel after them, and find out the
truth if only you will tell me what you know concerning them," I said
eagerly.

"Gordon, let me be frank and open with you, my dear old fellow. I would
tell you everything--everything--if I dared. But I cannot--you
understand!" And his final words seemed to choke him.

I stood before him, open-mouthed in astonishment.

"You really mean--well, that you are in fear of them--eh?" I whispered.

He nodded slowly in the affirmative, adding: "To tell you the truth
would be to bring upon myself a swift, relentless vengeance that would
overwhelm and crush me. Ah! my dear fellow, you do not know--you cannot
dream--what brought those desperate men into this port. I can guess--I
can guess only too well--but I can only tell you that if you ever do
discover the terrible truth--which I fear is unlikely--you will solve
one of the strangest