pounds," he said.

"More, my dear Teddy," the girl replied. "But since I saw you in
Chicago four months ago I've had a very narrow squeak. I was nearly
pinched by old Shenstone from New York. Dicky Diamond gave me the tip,
and I cleared out from my hotel just in time. Had to leave all my
trunks and eight thousand dollars' worth of jewelry behind me. And now
I dare not claim them, for the police have seized them. Somebody gave
me away, but I don't know who. Wouldn't I like to know--just! You bet
I'd get even on them!"

"A good job you were warned," said Madame. "Dicky was over here last
June. I spent the evening with him at Prince's."

"He's over here now. Waiting for me in Liverpool. I've got my passage
booked back for to-morrow night, so if the hue and cry is raised I
shall have left. I'm in the passengers' list as Mrs. George C.
Meredith, wife of the well-known Chicago stock-broker. See my ring!"
she laughed, holding up her hand in the semi-darkness. "Ain't it a
real fine one? And you are my mother, Madame! See?"

"But where are we going?" asked Duperre's wife.

"Going to make an unexpected call upon old Bethmeyer," she replied.

"Bethmeyer!" I exclaimed. "What, old Sir Joseph Bethmeyer, the
millionaire whom they call the mystery man of Europe, the man who is
said to have a finger in every financial pie all over Europe?"

"Yes, I guess it's the same man," replied our sprightly companion. "He
lives at Frenbury Park, a splendid place between Hindhead and
Farnham."

What, I wondered, could they possibly want with Sir Joseph Bethmeyer,
the man who had, it was said, been behind the ex-Emperor Carl in his
endeavor to regain the throne of the Hapsburgs, and who was declared
to be immensely wealthy, though the source of his great riches could
never be discovered. I knew him from the photographs so frequently in
the papers, a stout, full-bearded, Teutonic-looking man, who claimed
Swedish nationality, and who frequently gave large sums to charity,
apparently in order to propitiate the British Government, who were
more than suspicious of his oft-repeated good intentions.

At Houston's suggestion we stopped at a small hotel in Godalming, and
there had supper, for it was yet early, and the American girl had
dropped a hint that we should not go near Frenbury till past midnight.
As we sat at table in a private room, I saw that she was exceedingly
handsome, with a pair of coal-black eyes and a shrewd, alert
expression, but