the Volnay he was standing at the corner of
the Rue de la Paix and the Rue Daunou. He followed us in the Rue
Royale later on."

"And now he seems to have mounted guard outside, eh?" I remarked,
somewhat puzzled. "Why did you not tell me this before?"

"I did not wish to cause you any anxiety, Owen," was her simple reply,
while her father asked--

"Do you know the fellow? Ever seen him before, Sylvia?"

"Never in my life," she declared. "It's rather curious, isn't it?"

"Very," I said.

And as we all three watched we saw him move away a short distance and
join a taller man who came from the direction he had been looking. For
a few moments they conversed. Then the new-comer crossed the road
towards us and was lost to sight.

In a few seconds a ragged old man, a cripple, approached the
mysterious watcher with difficulty, and said something to him as he
passed.

"That cripple is in the business!" cried Pennington, who had been
narrowly watching. "He's keeping observation, and has told him
something. Some deep game is being played here, Biddulph."

"I wonder why they are watching?" I asked, somewhat apprehensive of
the coming evil that had been so long predicted.

Father and daughter exchanged curious glances. It seemed to me as
though a startling truth had dawned upon them both. I stood by in
silence.

"It is certainly distinctly unpleasant to be watched like
this--providing, of course, that Sylvia has not made a mistake,"
Pennington said.

"I have made no mistake," she declared quickly. "I've been much
worried about it all day, but did not like to arouse Owen's
suspicions;" and I saw by her face that she was in dead earnest.

At the same moment, however, a light tap was heard upon the door and a
waiter opened it, bowing as he announced--

"Monsieur Pierre Delanne to see Monsieur Biddulph."

"Great Heavens, Sylvia!" cried Pennington, standing pale-faced and
open-mouthed. "It's Guertin! He must not discover that I am in Paris!"
Then, turning to me in fear, he implored: "Save me from this meeting,
Biddulph! Save me--if you value your wife's honour, I beg of you. I'll
explain all afterwards. _Only save me!_"

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DESCRIBES AN UNWELCOME VISIT

Pennington's sudden fear held me in blank surprise.

Ere I could reply to him he had slipped through the door which led
into my bedroom, closing it after him, just as Delanne's stout figure
and broad, good-humoured face appeared in the doo