e la Plage,
neither Medenham nor the Frenchman alighted, but the former handed
Dale a letter.

"I may be detained in France somewhat longer than I anticipated," he
said in a matter-of-fact tone. "If that is so, and you have to return
to England without me, hand this letter to the Marquis of Scarland.
Take great care of it, and keep it in your possession until you are
positively assured that I am unable to go with you."

These enigmatical instructions bothered their hearer far more than any
of the strange proceedings of the night.

"How shall I know, my lord, whether I am to go back with you or not?"
he asked.

"Oh, of course I shall make that quite clear," laughed Medenham. "At
present, all you have to do is to wait here a little while."

His careless demeanor dispelled the first dim shadow of doubt that had
arisen in Dale's mind. The man was no stranger on the Continent,
having traveled with his employer over the length and breadth of
France and Northern Italy; but the manner of this visit to the Hotel
de la Plage at Calais was so perplexing that he essayed another
question.

"When may I expect you, my lord?" he asked.

Medenham affected to consult his watch.

"Within an hour," he said; "perhaps a few minutes more. At any rate,
you can arrange to catch the afternoon boat. Meanwhile, make yourself
comfortable."

By this time, three men, whom he had never seen before, came out from
the hotel. Apparently, they were fully prepared for the coming of the
visitors from England. They greeted Count Marigny cordially, and were
introduced to Medenham. Without more ado, two of them entered the
vehicle; the third, hoisting an umbrella, climbed to the side of the
driver, to whom no orders were given, and the cab rattled rapidly away
over the paving-stones, leaving Dale to gaze disconsolately after it.

Then the vague suspicions in his mind awoke into activity. For one
thing, he had heard one of the strangers alluded to as "Monsieur le
Docteur." For another, the newcomers carried a curious-looking parcel,
or case, of an elongated shape that suggested unusual contents. Some
trick of memory came to his aid. In an hotel at Lyons he had watched a
valet packing just such an object with the remainder of his employer's
luggage, and was told, on inquiry, that it contained foils. But why
foils? ... at four o'clock in the morning? ... in a country where men
might still requite an outrage by an appeal to the law of the jungle?

H