When?" she whispered, for Madame Rameil was approaching at the
moment.

"Whenever you like to make an appointment," I replied. "Only I must
first hold you to absolute secrecy."

"That's agreed," whispered the pretty young woman. "To-morrow. I will
be here alone at three o'clock," and then she held out her hand, and
aloud said:

"Good-bye, Mr. Garfield. So sorry you have to run away so early.
Good-bye!"

CHAPTER THE NINTH

SOME PLAIN SPEAKING

Punctually at three o'clock next afternoon the buxom Italian maid in
dainty apron, ushered me into Mrs. Cullerton's charming _salone_. From
the long windows a magnificent view spread away across the green
valley of the Ema to the great monastery of the Certosa, a huge
mediaeval pile which resembled a mediaeval fortress standing boldly
against the background of the rolling Apennines.

Scarcely had I stood there a moment when my blue-eyed young hostess,
in a becoming black-and-cherry frock, entered, and greeting me, closed
the door.

"Well, Mr. Garfield? It's really awfully good of you to trouble to
come out to see me. I'm all excitement to know what you have to tell
me about Mr. De Gex. He's gone yachting--as you perhaps know. Do sit
down."

As I did so she passed me the cigarettes, and took one herself. Then,
when I had held the match for her and had lit my own, I said:

"Well, Mrs. Cullerton, I really don't know how to commence. Somehow, I
felt it my duty to come here to see you. I must admit that I have been
manoeuvring for several days in order to get an introduction to you,
and to obtain an opportunity of seeing you alone. And yet----"

"Yes. I quite see that. I thought by your attitude in the Via
Tornabuoni that you seemed very anxious to know me," and her lips
relaxed into a pretty smile.

"That is so. In order to--well, to warn you," I said very seriously.

"Warn me!--of what, pray?"

I hesitated. To be perfectly frank with her was, I saw, quite
impossible. She might hear all I said and then inform De Gex. She was
his friend. Or perhaps she would dismiss me and my story as pure
invention. Hence I resolved to preserve my own secret concerning the
Stretton Street Affair.

Looking straight into her face, I said:

"I'm here to warn you of a very grave personal danger."

"You are really most alarming, Mr. Garfield," she said in suspicion.
"In what danger am I?"

"You are either in possession of some ugly fact concerning Mr. De Gex
which he desire