should be.  You must understand that on Saturday last, thinking it might possibly be required for the case, I drew a large sum of money from the bank; more than a hundred pounds, in fact.  I securely locked it up in my writing-table, and thought no one knew anything about it.  Yesterday afternoon my uncle and Mr. Codd went for a walk, and did not return, though I waited for them for several hours.  While I was thus waiting I opened the drawer in the writing-table to procure something I wanted, and discovered that the money was missing.  Only one construction could be placed upon it, Mr. Fairfax.  They had wearied of their inactive life, and had set off in search of Hayle.”

“They are aware of his address in Paris, are they not?”

“Yes, my uncle repeated it from morning until night,” she answered.  “In point of fact, he did little else.  Oh! it terrifies me beyond measure to think what may happen should they meet.”

“You need not fear that,” I replied.  “Hayle has tired of Paris and has bolted again.  Very probably to a place where they cannot hope to find him.”

I believe she said “God be thanked” under her breath, but I am not quite certain upon that point.  I did not tell her of the trick Hayle had so lately played upon myself.  If the telling were necessary it would be able to come later on.

“May I ask what brought you to Paris, Miss Kitwater?” I inquired, after a pause.

“My great fear,” she answered.  “I wired to you from Charing Cross to say that I was coming.  Did you not receive my message?”

I remember the fact that, not having time to open them all before I was called away, I had put some of the telegrams on one side.  As ill luck would have it, Miss Kitwater’s must have been amongst these.  I explained that I had been away from the house all day, and only that moment returned.

“I felt,” she said, ignoring my excuses, “that I must come to you and tell you all that has transpired.  Also that I might implore you to keep the men apart at any cost.”

“We can easily find out whether they have arrived in Paris, and also whether they have been to Hayle’s apartments,” I said.  “That would certainly be one of the places which they would try first.”

While I was speaking there was the sound of a step in the corridor outside and next moment Leglosse entered the room.  He was in the highest spirits, as he always was when he was about to undertake a new piece of work.  Seeing that I had visitors he came to a sudden standstill.

“A thousand pardons,” he said in French.  “I had no idea that you were engaged.  I will wait outside.”

“Don’t do anything of the kind,” I returned in the same language.  “Come in and let me introduce you to Miss Kitwater, who has just arrived from England.”

“Miss Kitwater?” he repeated, in some surprise.  “Surely I understood you to say that your client, the gentleman who had lost his sight through Hayle’s treachery, was Monsieur Kitwater?”