t quarrel ensued between the lady and her visitor,
the latter being very seriously assaulted by the Italian. The constable
on duty was called in, but the visitor refused to prosecute, and after
having his injuries attended to by a doctor left for London. Three days
later Mademoiselle disappeared from Worthing. It is believed by the
Chief Constable that the woman is of the criminal class."

Then Charles Ogier, inspector of the detective police of Monaco, smiled,
laid down his cigar, and took up another and even more interesting
document.

FIFTH CHAPTER

ON THE HOG'S BACK

Three days later. On a cold afternoon just as the wintry light was
fading a tall, dark, middle-aged, rather handsome man with black hair
and moustache, and wearing a well-cut, dark-grey overcoat and
green velour hat, alighted from the train at the wayside station of
Wanborough, in Surrey, and inquired of the porter the way to Shapley
Manor.

"Shapley, sir? Why, take the road there yonder up the hill till you
get to the main road which runs along the Hog's Back from Guildford to
Farnborough. When you get on the main road, turn sharp to the left past
the old toll-gate, and you'll find the Manor on the left in among a big
clump of trees."

"How far?"

"About a mile, sir."

The stranger, the only passenger who had alighted, slipped sixpence
into the man's hand, buttoned his coat, and started out to walk in the
direction indicated, breasting the keen east wind.

He was well-set-up, and of athletic bearing. He took long strides as
with swinging gait he went up the hill. As he did so, he muttered to
himself:

"I was an infernal fool not to have come down in a car! I hate these
beastly muddy country roads. But Molly has the telephone--so I can ring
up for a car to fetch me--which is a consolation, after all."

And with his keen eyes set before him, he pressed forward up the steep
incline to where, for ten miles, ran the straight broad highway over
the high ridge known as the Hog's Back. The road is very popular with
motorists, for so high is it that on either side there stretches a wide
panorama of country, the view on the north being towards the Thames
Valley and London, while on the south Hindhead with the South Downs in
the blue distance show beyond.

Having reached the high road the stranger paused to take breath, and
incidentally to admire the magnificent view. Indeed, an expression of
admiration fell involuntarily from his lips. T