uainted with a man in England whom I know, and I have a message of
great importance to convey."

"To Mr. Kaffar's advantage?" asked the Italian, eagerly.

No words can express what I felt as the man unthinkingly uttered
Kaffar's name. I had not come on a false report. The Egyptian bore the
name of the man I wanted to find.

"He can turn it to his advantage," I replied.

"Mr. Kaffar is not in Turin at present," he said confidentially.

"Could you tell me where he is?" I said, with beating heart.

"I cannot. You see--" and the Italian put his face close to mine. "Might
I ask if you are somewhat of a--well, a gentleman fond of play?"

I did not reply.

"Ah, I thought so," said he, cunningly. "At first I was afraid you were
a detective fellow, but I see now. Well, you will perhaps know that Mr.
Kaffar is a very accomplished gentleman, and he left yesterday afternoon
for a little tour--where I don't know. Another accomplished gentleman
went with him. We have a jolly house, and you Englishmen would enjoy a
few nights here. Come up to-night and win some of our Italian gold."

"When will Mr. Kaffar be back?"

"He said he might be back on Monday night--on Tuesday morning at
latest."

"I daren't come and play till he comes," I said. "Will he let you know
when he is coming back?"

"Yes; he said he'd telegraph."

"Would you mind letting me know the train? I am staying at the Hotel
Trombetta."

"Yes, yes, I shall be delighted; and then, when he comes, we'll--But
what name shall I write on my message?"

"Herod Voltaire," I said.

I went away then, and began to think. I found the man, and yet I had
not. Nothing was certain yet. It was now Saturday, and he would not
return until Monday night or Tuesday morning, and I must be in London by
Wednesday at midnight, or all was lost. Say he came back on Tuesday by
noon, there would then be only thirty-six hours left in which to get to
London. Thirty-six hours, and many hundreds of dreary, weary miles
between! Or if he should not come at all! If the Italian were deceiving
me!

I shall not try and relate what happened the next two days, except to
say that I set Simon to watch every train that came into Turin station,
while I did all I could to discover whether he were hiding in Turin.

Neither of us saw Kaffar, nor did we hear anything of him.

Monday night came. I had received no message from the lodging-house
keeper, neither had I heard any news. The suspense was becom