of the affair at the Villa
Amette?"

"She will not be told that. But she has been told that you are going to
Brussels, and that in future your name is Monsieur Godfrey Brown."

"But why have all these elaborate arrangements been made for my
security?" Hugh demanded, more than ever nonplussed.

"It is useless to take one precaution unless the whole are taken,"
laughed the sphinx-like fellow whose cheerful banter had so successfully
passed them through the customs barrier.

Then, swallowing his coffee, he wished Hugh, "buon viaggio" and was
about to depart, when Hugh said:

"Look here. Is it quite impossible for you to give me any inkling
concerning this astounding affair? I know that some unknown friend, or
friends, are looking after my welfare. But why? To whom am I indebted
for all this? Who has warned Miss Ranscomb and told her of my alias and
my journey to Brussels?"

"A friend of hers and of yourself," was the chauffeur's reply. "No,
please do not question me, signore," he added. "I have done my best for
you. And now my journey is at an end, while yours is only beginning.
Pardon me--but you have money with you, I suppose? If you have not,
these good people here will trust you."

"But what is this house?"

The man laughed. Then he said:

"Well, really it is a bolt-hole used by those who wish to evade our very
astute police. If one conforms to the rules of Signora Ravecca and her
husband, then one is quite safe and most comfortable."

Hugh realized that he was in a hiding-place used by thieves. A little
later he knew that the ugly old woman's husband paid toll to a certain
_delegato_ of police, hence their house was never searched. While the
criminal was in those shabby rooms he was immune from arrest. The place
was, indeed, one of many hundreds scattered over Europe, asylums known
to the international thief as places ever open so long as they can pay
for their board and lodging and their contribution towards the police
bribes.

A few moments later the ugly, uncouth man who had brought him from Monte
Carlo lit a cigarette, and wishing the old woman a merry "addio" left
and descended the stairs.

The signora then showed Hugh to his room, a small, dispiriting and
not overclean little chamber which looked out upon the backs of the
adjoining houses, all of which were high and inartistic. Above, however,
was a narrow strip of brilliantly blue sunlit sky.

A quarter of an hour later he made the acquaintanc