that night Mr. Flockart
returned in secret, beckoned me out upon the lawn, and showed me
something which held me petrified in fear. It was a cutting from an
Edinburgh paper that evening reporting that two of the forest-guards at
Pontarme had discovered the body of the missing Miss Bryant, and that
the French police were making active inquiries."

"He threatened you?" asked Walter.

"He told me to remain quiet, and that he and Lady Heyburn would do their
best to shield me. For that reason, dad," she went on, turning to the
blind man, "for that reason I feared to denounce him when I discovered
him with your safe open, for that reason I was compelled to take all the
blame and all your anger upon myself."

The old man's brow knit. "Where is my wife?" he asked. "I must speak to
her before we go further. This is a very serious matter."

"Lady Heyburn is still at Park Street," Flockart replied.

"I will hear no more," declared the blind Baronet, holding up his hand,
"not another word until my wife is present."

CHAPTER XXXVII

INCREASES THE INTEREST

"But, dad," cried Gabrielle, "I am telling you the truth! Cannot you
believe me, your daughter, before this man who is your enemy?"

"Because of my affliction I am, it seems, deceived by every one," was
his hard response.

To where they stood had come the sound of wheels upon the gravelled
drive outside, and a moment later Hill entered, announcing, "A gentleman
to see you very urgently, Sir Henry. He is from Baron de Hetzendorf."

"From the Baron!" gasped the blind man. "I'll see him later."

"Why, it may be Hamilton!" cried Murie; who, looking through the door,
saw his old friend in the corridor, and quickly called him in.

As he faced Flockart he drew himself up. The attitude of them all made
it apparent to him that something unusual was in progress.

"You've arrived at a very opportune moment, Hamilton," Murie said. "You
have met Miss Heyburn before, and also Flockart, I believe, at Lady
Heyburn's, in Paris."

"Yes, but----"

"Sir Henry," Walter said in a quiet tone, "this gentleman sent by the
Baron is his secretary, the same Mr. Edgar Hamilton of whom Gabrielle
has just been speaking."

"Ah, then, perhaps he can furnish us with further facts regarding this
most extraordinary statement of my daughter's," the blind man exclaimed.

"Gabrielle has just told her father the truth regarding a certain tragic
occurrence in the Forest of Pontarme. Explain to