eeds.

"Oh, she's going back to London to-day--so I shall be horribly
lonely," she replied.

I recollected her nervousness and apprehension before she had paid the
man who had undoubtedly blackmailed her, and became more than ever
puzzled.

CHAPTER VIII

THE CAT'S TOOTH

That night I went to my room at about ten minutes before midnight, and
waited for the appearance of my secret visitor.

Just as midnight struck the handle of the door slowly turned and a
well-dressed, dark-mustached man of about thirty-five entered silently
and bowed.

"Mr. Hargreave?" he asked with a foreign accent. "Or is it
Cottingham?"

"Which you please," I replied in a low voice, laughing.

"I have this to hand to you," he said as he produced the portion of
the visiting-card which I found fitted exactly to that which I had
received from Rayne.

"Well?" I asked, inviting him to a chair and afterwards turning the
key in the door. "What message have you for me?" Then I noticed for
the first time that he bore in his hand a small brown leather
attache-case.

"I know you well by name, Mr. Hargreave," he said. "You are one of us,
I know. Therefore 'The Golden Face' sends you a message."

"Have you seen him?" I asked.

"No," was his reply. "Though we have been in association for several
years, I always receive messages through Vincent Duperre."

I knew that only too well. Rudolph Rayne took the most elaborate
precautions to preserve a clean pair of hands himself, no matter what
dirty work he planned to be carried out by others.

"Duperre saw me in London yesterday, gave me that piece of card, and
told me to come here and explain matters," the Italian went on in a
low voice. "You see this case. I am to hand it to you," and as he took
it, he touched the bottom, which I saw was hinged and fell inwards in
two pieces, both of which sprang back again into their places by means
of strong springs. My small collar-box stood upon the dressing-table.

"You see how it works," he said, and placing the attache-case over the
collar-box, he snatched it up and the collar-box had disappeared
inside! It was an old invention of thieves and possessed no
originality. I wondered that Rayne's friends employed such a
contrivance, which, of course, was useful when it became necessary
that valuable objects should disappear.

"Well, and what of it?" I asked, as, opening the case, he took out my
collar-box and replaced it upon the table.

"I am told