“Oh, I know!” she answered.  “They have told me.”

“Who?” I asked.  “Who has told you?”

“Never mind,” she answered, wringing her hands.  “I know.  It is enough.  Capitaine Rotherby, I have come to ask you something.”

“Please go on,” I said.

“I want you to go away.  I do not wish you to interest yourself any more in me or in any of us.”

“Do you mean that, Felicia?” I asked.

“I mean it,” she answered.  “My uncle has a great mission to carry out here.  You are making it more difficult for him.”

“Felicia,” I said, “I do not trust your uncle.  I do not believe in his great mission.  I think that you yourself are deceived.”

She held her head up.  Her eyes flashed angrily.

“As to that,” she said, “I am the best judge.  If my uncle is an adventurer, I am his niece.  I am one with him.  Please understand that.  It seems to me that you are working against him, thinking that you are helping me.  That is a mistake.”

“Felicia,” I said, “give me a little more of your confidence, and the rest will be easy.”

“What is it that you wish to know?” she asked.

“For one thing,” I answered, “tell me when your uncle left South America and when he arrived in Paris?”

“He had been in Paris ten days when you saw us first,” she said, after a moment’s hesitation.

“And are you sure that he came to you from South America?” I demanded.

“Certainly!” she answered.

“To me,” I said slowly, “he seems to have the manners of a Parisian.  Two months ago I lunched at Henry’s with some old friends.  Can you tell me, Felicia, that he was not in Paris then?”

“Of course not!” she answered, shivering a little.

“Then he has a wonderful double,” I declared.

“What is this that is in your mind about him?” she asked.

“I believe,” I answered, “that he is personating some one, or rather I have believed it.  I believe that he is personating some one else, and is afraid of being recognized by those who know.”

“Will it satisfy you,” she said slowly, “if I tell you, upon my honor, Capitaine Rotherby, that he is indeed my uncle?”

“I should believe you, Felicia,” I answered.  “I should then feel disposed to give the whole affair up as insoluble.”

“That is just what I want you to do,” she said.  “Now, listen.  I tell you this upon my honor.  He is my uncle, and his name is truly Delora!”

“Then why does he leave you here alone and skulk about from hiding-place to hiding-place like a criminal?” I asked.

“It is not your business to ask those questions,” she answered.  “I have told you the truth.  Will you do as I ask or not?”

I hesitated for a moment.  She was driving me back into a corner!

“Felicia,” I said, “I must do as you ask me.  If you tell me to go away, I will go away; but do you think it is quite kind to leave me so mystified?  For instance,” I added slowly, “on the night when that beast Louis planned to knock that young Brazilian on the head, and leave me to bear the brunt of it; he was up here talking to you, alone, as though you were equals.”