of your
thoughts, Hugh. De Gex is the controlling influence of great events,
but why should he seek to send you into an asylum for the insane?"

"With the same motive that he endeavoured to send into such an asylum
poor Gabrielle Tennison," I said bitterly.

"In law we have an old adage which says 'discover the motive and you
also discover the miscreant,'" Harry remarked.

I agreed, and, as much bewildered as he, exclaimed:

"Well, as far as we can discern there is something very underhand in
this meeting. But the count's widow is a cheery, easy-going person,
despite her mournful black, and perhaps, after all, we may be upon a
wrong scent."

"Exactly. De Gex may be attracted by her handsome niece, the Senorita
Carmen Florez--eh?"

"He may. But as the dead count was a great financier, Oswald De Gex
may be working in the interests of the widow--or to the contrary."

"To the contrary," said my friend without hesitation.

Next morning Hambledon told me that De Gex and Suzor did not return to
the Ritz until nearly one o'clock. Apparently they had dined and spent
the evening in Segovia. On that same day at noon, my curiosity
aroused, I took train to the old-world town with its wonderful
cathedral, the Alcazar, and the aqueduct built by Augustus, the
largest piece of Roman work extant in Spain, rivalling as it does the
walls of Tarragona.

Without difficulty I discovered the fine country house of the Countess
de Chamartin situated high up on the broad tree-lined Paseo. She had
never seen me, therefore I had no hesitation in idling in the
vicinity, in order to catch sight of her or her niece, their
descriptions having been given to me by my friend Hambledon. Till it
was growing dark I waited in vain, when suddenly I had a very narrow
escape. A big dusty grey limousine came rapidly up the hill and halted
close to where I was standing. From it there alighted Gaston Suzor,
who without hesitation entered the big iron gates and disappeared into
the garden.

Fortunately he was in such haste, and so preoccupied that he did not
notice me, hence I crossed the road and hid behind a half-ruined wall,
where I had a good view of the car.

About twenty minutes later he emerged again, and with him was a young
girl wearing a small toque and a rich sable coat. No second glance was
needed to realize that it was the Senorita Carmen Florez, niece of the
countess. The elegant Frenchman held the door open politely for her,
and after s