young lady with the turquoises, who had also been good enough to take an interest in me!  I gave the whole thing up at last.  Perhaps by the morrow I should know more,—­if, indeed, I thought, a little grimly, I knew anything!  I could not help feeling that this little enterprise to which I had committed myself might turn out to be a serious affair.  Even Louis had not tried to minimize the risks.  I felt, however, that if it led me to any better understanding of the situation, I could welcome whatever danger it involved.

A little before six o’clock I turned to look at the weather, which had been threatening all day, meaning to take a stroll.  The rain, however, was coming down in sheets, so I descended instead to the little smoking-room, thinking that I might find there some one whom I knew.  I had already ensconced myself in an easy-chair and ordered a whiskey and soda, when I became conscious that the very person with whom my thoughts were occupied was in the room and within a few feet of me.

Felicia was sitting on a couch, and by her side a man whom I recognized at once.  It was the companion of my lady of the turquoises!  Apparently they had not noticed my entrance.  They continued for several moments to be unaware of it.  Felicia was paler than ever.  She seemed to be struggling, as she sat there, to conceal her fear and aversion for the man who leaned toward her, talking in rapid French, with many gesticulations.  He was badly dressed in a travelling suit of French cut, with a waistcoat buttoned almost to the chin.  A floppy black tie hung down over the lapels of his coat.  His black moustache, which seemed to have suffered from the crossing, was drooping, and gave to his mouth a particularly sinister expression.  He had a neck of unusual size, and the fat ran in ridges to the back of his scalp, worked up by his collar as he moved his head rapidly with every sentence.  He seemed altogether unable to sit still or control himself.  His boots—­brown tops with narrow patent vamps—­beat a tattoo upon the floor.  No wonder that Felicia shrunk into the corner of her lounge!  I felt that it was impossible for me to sit and watch them any longer.  I rose to my feet.

Felicia saw me first,—­then her companion.  Felicia’s first expression, to my intense joy, was one of relief.  Her companion, on the other hand, darted towards me a perfectly murderous glance.  I advanced toward them, and Felicia half rose.

“Capitaine Rotherby,” she said, “oh, I am very glad to see you!  This man here who sits by my side—­he does not speak one word of English.  Listen, I beg.  Go and find some one in the cafe—­you know whom I mean, I will not mention his name.  Go and find him, and bring him here.  Tell him that Bartot is here and is terrifying me, that he threatens all the time.  Please bring him.”

“I will go at once,” I answered.

I bowed and turned away.  Of Bartot I took no notice, though he rose at once and seemed about to address me.  I hurried into the cafe, but it was a slack hour and there were no signs of Louis.