ttending to this part of the
programme?"

"Perfectly."

"You will maintain watch until 11.30. If at that hour I have not
rejoined you, make your way to the nearest policeman, and tell him that
you have good reason to believe that a friend of yours has either been
murdered or suffered serious personal injury in a room on the second
storey of the house in question. You will then, in company with the
policeman, come rapidly to the apartment I have indicated and demand an
immediate entrance--if necessary bursting the door open."

"And what then?" gasped the amazed earl.

"I really don't know," said Brett imperturbably. "It is possible you may
find my gory corpse in one of the inner rooms. The best I can hope for
is that I shall be simply a prisoner, but I fully expect to be seriously
injured at the very least."

"But look here, Brett: are you doing the right thing in this matter? Why
on earth should you run such an awful risk, and take it alone, too?
Isn't it possible to obtain some trustworthy detective to keep watch in
the street, and let me go into the place with you? Don't you see, old
chap, that two of us might make a reasonable show if violence is
attempted? One man hasn't much chance."

The barrister cut short his friend's protestations.

"I sent for you, Lord Fairholme," he said, "because I felt that I could
trust you to obey my instructions implicitly. This is a matter in which
I do not want the police to interfere. My visit to the Rue Barbette
to-morrow morning may end quite satisfactorily. If it does, we shall be
in possession of important information leading to the prompt release of
Mr. Talbot. If it fails, there will certainly be some shooting or
stabbing, or perhaps an attempt may be made to keep me a prisoner. This
latter eventuality renders the presence of the police essential. No
matter what has happened to me, they will, with your assistance, be able
to take up the inquiry exactly where I leave it off. In this note-book
here, which I am placing in a locked drawer"--and he suited his action
to the words--"you will find details of all that I have done up to the
present moment, together with the lines along which future inquiries
should proceed. In particular, you will find an elaboration of the
theory which I expect to-morrow's visit to confirm. You fully understand
me? All this anticipates that after 11.30 to-morrow I shall be
personally unable to conduct the investigation further."

"Yes," agreed