“You must not thank me at all,” I replied.  “In helping you I am only doing my duty to my client.”

I had scarcely said the words before I regretted them.  It was a foolish speech and a churlish one as well.  She pretended not to notice it, however, but bade her maid go down to the concierge’s office, and take the bag to the room that had been allotted to her.  The girl disappeared, and when she had gone Miss Kitwater turned to me.

“Mr. Fairfax,” she said, “I have yet another favour to ask of you.  I assure you it concerns me vitally.  I want to know if you will let me go with you to Naples.  In order that I might not be in your way, we might travel in different compartments; but go I must.  I am so frightened about my uncle.  If I follow him to Naples, it is just possible I might be able to dissuade him from pursuing Hayle.  If he were to kill me for preventing them, I would not let them meet.  Believe me when I say that I am terribly anxious about him.  Besides——­”

Here she paused for a moment as if she did not quite know how to continue what she had to say to me.

“As I have said, you and Monsieur ——­ I mean the French gentleman—­could travel in your own way.  All that I want to be assured of is, that I may be in Naples and at hand should anything happen.”

“If you really wish it, I do not see why you should not go?” I replied meditatively.  “But if you desire my candid opinion I must say that I think you would be far better off at home.  Still if you desire to come, it’s not for me to gainsay your wishes.  We will arrange therefore that, unless you decide to the contrary in the meantime, you accompany us by the 8.50 train to-morrow morning.”

“I thank you,” she said.

A few moments later Leglosse returned with the information that it was as we suspected.  Kitwater and Codd had arrived in Paris that morning, and had visited Hayle’s lodgings only to find him gone.

“What is more important still,” he continued, “they have managed to learn that Hayle had gone to Naples, and they will probably leave by the 2.50 train to-morrow morning for that city:  It is as well, perhaps, that we arranged to travel by the next.”

“Courage, courage, Miss Kitwater,” I said, seeing that she was trembling.  “Try not to be frightened.  There is nothing to fear.”  Then turning to Leglosse, I added—­“Miss Kitwater has decided to accompany us to Naples.  As a matter of fact my position in the case has undergone a change since I last saw you.”

He looked from one to the other of us as if in astonishment.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Hitherto,” I replied, “I have been acting against Hayle, with the intention of securing him, in order that my clients might have a most important meeting with him.  For the future, however, my endeavours will be used in the contrary direction.  They must never meet!”

“Then the best way to bring about what you desire is to assist me,” returned Leglosse.  “Let me once get my hand upon him in the name of France, and they will never meet.”