“Yes, Miss, directly.”

The servants all called Margaret, Miss.

She lingered yet a little, to give the man time.  She was not at all satisfied with her plan, but she could think of nothing better.  Happily, it was not necessary.  Irwan had run as fast as his old legs would carry him to the Golden Staff.  Hugh received the news with delight.  His heart seemed to leap into his throat, and he felt just as he did, when, deer-stalking for the first time, he tried to take aim at a great red stag.

“I shall wait for him outside the door.  We must have no noise in the house.  He is a thief, or worse, Irwan.”

“Good gracious!  And there’s the plate all laid out for dinner on the sideboard!” exclaimed Irwan, and hurried off faster than he had come.

But Hugh was standing at the door long before Irwan got up to it.  Had Margaret known who was watching outside, it would have been a wonderful relief to her.

She entered the dining-room, where the count stood impatient.  He advanced quickly, acting on his expectation of Euphra, but seeing his mistake, stopped, and bowed politely.  Margaret told him that Miss Cameron was ill, and gave him her message, word for word.  The count turned pale with mortification and rage.  He bit his lip, made no reply, and walked out into the hall, where Irwan stood with the handle of the door in his hand, impatient to open it.  No sooner was he out of the house, than Hugh sprang upon him; but the count, who had been perfectly upon his guard, eluded him, and darted off down the street.  Hugh pursued at full speed, mortified at his escape.  He had no fear at first of overtaking him, for he had found few men his equals in speed and endurance; but he soon saw, to his dismay, that the count was increasing the distance between them, and feared that, by a sudden turn into some labyrinth, he might escape him altogether.  They passed the Golden Staff at full speed, and at the next corner Hugh discovered what gave the count the advantage:  it was his agility and recklessness in turning corners.  But, like the sorcerer’s impunity, they failed him at last; for, at the next turn, he ran full upon Falconer, who staggered back, while the count reeled and fell.  Hugh was upon him in a moment.  “Help!” roared the count, for a last chance from the sympathies of a gathering crowd.

“I’ve got him!” cried Hugh.

“Let the man alone,” growled a burly fellow in the crowd, with his fists clenched in his trowser-pockets.

“Let me have a look at him,” said Falconer, stooping over him.  “Ah!  I don’t know him.  That’s as well for him.  Let him up, Sutherland.”

The bystanders took Falconer for a detective, and did not seem inclined to interfere, all except the carman before mentioned.  He came up, pushing the crowd right and left.

“Let the man alone,” said he, in a very offensive tone.

“I assure you,” said Falconer, “he’s not worth your trouble; for —­ "