“Why does monsieur ask?” he said.

“The idlest curiosity,” I assured him.  “I know nothing about them except that they are distinctive, and one cannot fail, of course, to admire the young lady.”

“You have seen them often?” Louis asked, in a low tone.

“I told you, Louis,” I answered, “that my mission in Paris is of the nature of a search.  For ten days I have haunted all the places where one goes,—­the Race Course, the Bois, the Armenonville and Pre Catelan, the Rue de la Paix, the theatres.  I have seen them nearly every day.  To-night they were at the Opera.”

“You know nothing of them beyond that?” Louis persisted.

“Nothing whatever,” I declared.  “I am not a boulevarder, Louis,” I continued slowly, “and in England, you know, it is not the custom to stare at women as these Frenchmen seem to do with impunity.  But I must confess that I have watched that girl.”

“You find her attractive,” murmured Louis.

“I find her delightful,” I assented, “only she seems scarcely old enough to be about in such places as these.”

“The man,” Louis said slowly, “is a Brazilian.  His name is Delora.”

“Does he live in Paris?” I asked.

“By no means,” Louis answered.  “He is a very rich coffee-planter, and has immense estates somewhere in his own country.  He comes over here every year to sell his produce on the London market.  I believe that he is on his way there now.”

“And the girl?” I asked.

“She is his niece,” Louis answered.  “She has been brought up in France at a convent somewhere in the south, I believe.  I think I heard that this time she was to return to Brazil with her uncle.”

“I wonder,” I asked, “if she is going to London with him?”

“Probably,” Louis answered, “and if monsieur continues to patronize me,” he continued, “he will certainly see more of them, for Monsieur Delora is a client who is always faithful to me.”

Notwithstanding its somewhat subdued air, there was all the time going on around us a cheerful murmur of conversation, the popping of corks, the laughter of women, the hurrying to and fro of waiters,—­all the pleasant disturbance of an ordinary restaurant at the most festive hour of the night.  But there came, just at this moment, a curious interruption, an interruption curious not only on its own account, but on account of the effect which it produced.  From somewhere in the centre of the room there commenced ringing, softly at first, and afterwards with a greater volume, a gong, something like the siren of a motor-car, but much softer and more musical.  Instantly a dead silence seemed to fall upon the place.  Conversation was broken off, laughter was checked, even the waiters stood still in their places.  The eyes of every one seemed turned towards the door.  One or two of the men rose, and in the faces of these was manifest a sudden expression in which was present more or less