ve annoyed you by not
satisfying your natural curiosity. But were I to do so, it would be
against my own interests. Hence my silence. Am I not perfectly honest
with you?"

That speech of his corroborated all my suspicions. His motive in
following me, whatever it could be, was a sinister one. He had
admitted knowledge of Harriman, the man found guilty and sentenced
for the murder of the young English member of Parliament, Ronald
Burke. His intimate acquaintance with Harriman's past and with his
undesirable friends showed that he must have been an associate of that
daring and dangerous gang.

I was a diligent reader of the English papers, but had never seen any
mention of the great association of expert criminals. His assertion
that the Paris _Matin_ had published all the details was, in all
probability, untrue. I instinctively mistrusted him, because he had
kept such a watchful eye upon me ever since I had sat with Sylvia's
father in the lounge of that big hotel in Manchester.

"I don't think you are honest with me, Monsieur Delanne," I said
stiffly. "Therefore I refuse to believe you further."

"As you wish," laughed my companion. "You will believe me, however,
ere long--when you have proof. Depend upon it."

And he glanced at his watch, closing it quickly with a snap.

"You see----" he began, but as he uttered the words a taxi, coming
from the direction of Charing Cross, suddenly pulled up at the kerb
where we were standing--so suddenly that, for a moment, I did not
notice that it had come to a standstill.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, when he saw the cab, "I quite forgot! I have an
appointment. I will wish you _bon soir_, Monsieur Biddulph. We may
meet again--perhaps." And he raised his hat in farewell.

As he turned towards the taxi to enter it, I realized that some one
was inside--that the person in the cab had met the strange foreigner
by appointment at that corner!

A man's face peered out for a second, and a voice exclaimed cheerily--

"Hulloa! Sorry I'm late, old chap!"

Then, next instant, on seeing me, the face was withdrawn into the
shadow.

Delanne had entered quickly, and, slamming the door, told the man to
drive with all speed to Paddington Station.

The taxi was well on its way down Pall Mall ere I could recover from
my surprise.

The face of the man in the cab was a countenance the remembrance of
which will ever haunt me if I live to be a hundred years--the evil,
pimply, dissipated face of Char