tired of her. Brothers of
twenty-one, who have never been in Paris before, and cannot speak the
language, must occasionally get lost, and the British Embassy is not
exactly a transported Scotland Yard.

"Then," she declared, with a vigorous little stamp of her shapely foot,
"I don't see what we keep an Ambassador here for at all--or any of you.
It is scandalous!"

The Hon. Nigel Fergusson dropped his eyeglass and surveyed the young
lady attentively.

"My dear Miss Poynton," he said, "I will not presume to argue with you.
We are here, I suppose, for some purpose or other. Whether we fulfil it
or not may well be a matter of opinion. But that purpose is certainly
not to look after any young idiot--you must excuse my speaking
plainly--who runs amuck in this most fascinating city. In your case the
Chief has gone out of his way to help you. He has interviewed the chief
of police himself, brought his influence to bear in various quarters,
and I can tell you conscientiously that everything which possibly can
be done is being done at the present moment. If you wish for my advice
it is this: Send for some friend to keep you company here, and try to be
patient. You are in all probability making yourself needlessly
miserable."

She looked at him a little reproachfully. He noticed, however, with
secret joy that she was drawing on her gloves.

"Patient! He was to meet me here ten days ago. He arrived at the hotel.
His clothes are all there, and his bill unpaid. He went out the night of
his arrival, and has never returned. Patient! Well, I am much obliged to
you, Mr. Fergusson. I have no doubt that you have done all that your
duty required. Good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon, Miss Poynton, and don't be too despondent. Remember
that the French police are the cleverest in the world, and they are
working for you."

She looked up at him scornfully.

"Police, indeed!" she answered. "Do you know that all they have done so
far is to keep sending for me to go and look at dead bodies down at the
Morgue? I think that I shall send over for an English detective."

"You might do worse," he answered; "but in any case, Miss Poynton, I do
hope that you will send over for some friend or relation to keep you
company. Paris is scarcely a fit place for you to be alone and in
trouble."

"Thank you," she said. "I will remember what you have said."

The young man watched her depart with a curious mixture of relief and
regret.

"The young foo