that this crowd will watch us pretty
closely, won't they?"

Brett leaned back in the cab and laughed heartily.

"We are the most interesting persons in Paris to them at this moment,"
he said. "That poor fellow who sold us the toys will have to change his
position, I am afraid. One of them is following us now. Let's see who it
is."

At the next street corner he stopped the cab suddenly, and jumped out,
followed by Fairholme. A minute later another vehicle dashed into the
street. In it was seated a lady, closely veiled; but a large feather hat
and the grotesque pattern of a black veil could not wholly conceal the
pretty, determined face of La Belle Chasseuse.

Evidently she had no one at hand to undertake the mission, so she
followed Brett in person. He signalled to her and to her driver.
Astonished, the man pulled up. Brett instantly advanced and took off his
hat with that pleasant smile of his which usually went straight to the
female heart, but which now thoroughly lost its effect on the furious
young woman who looked at him from the interior of the _voiture_.

"Allow me," he said, "to offer my friendly services. It is a close day
and mademoiselle has, I am sure, many other calls on her time. I will
save you at least an hour, and myself nearly the same period. I am going
to secure the presence of a witness to identify you as the lady who
crossed the Channel last Tuesday in company with a gentleman. You both
drove to the Grand Hotel, and your companion signed the register there
in the names of Mr. and Mrs. Talbot; is it not so?"

She bent forward and looked at him viciously. Her eyes sparkled with
annoyance at being caught so easily in her self-imposed piece of
espionage.

"Monsieur is clever," she snapped.

"Thank you," he replied, still smiling. "I can occasionally hit the mark
with a guess as well as mademoiselle can with her pistol. But, believe
me, I only intend at this moment to be polite. Of course, the presence
of a witness to identify you is unnecessary. Mademoiselle can now return
to the Cabaret Noir, whilst my friend and I will proceed direct to the
Grand Hotel. It saves so much trouble, does it not?"

For a moment the woman looked as though she would have liked to produce
that infallible revolver and shot him on the spot. Then she angrily
commanded her driver to return.

Fairholme surveyed the scene with open-eyed amazement. "Well," he said,
"that beats everything. You really have a splendid nerv