at ten for St. Petersburg. Since then we have
sent seven telegrams, the delivery of which is very problematical--and
we have heard--nothing!"

Allan laid his hand gently upon my shoulder.

"We may get a reply from Feurgeres at any moment," he said, "but there
will be no news of Isobel. That note is a forgery, Arnold."

"I am afraid it is," I admitted. "Feurgeres was a man of his word. He
would never have sent for Isobel."

"Then she is lost to us," Arthur groaned.

I caught up my hat and coat.

"Not yet," I said. "I will go and see what Lady Delahaye has to say
about this. It can do no harm, at any rate."

"Shall I come?" Arthur asked, half rising from his chair.

"I would rather go alone," I answered.

* * * * *

The butler, who knew me by sight, was courteous but doubtful.

"Her ladyship has been receiving all the afternoon," he told me, "but I
believe that she has gone to her rooms now. Her ladyship dines early
to-night because of the opera. I will send your name up if you like,
sir."

I walked restlessly up and down the hall for ten minutes. Then a lady's
maid suddenly appeared through a green baize door and beckoned me to
follow her.

"Her ladyship will see you upstairs, sir, if you will come this way,"
she announced.

I followed her into a little boudoir. Lady Delahaye, in a blue
dressing-gown, was lying upon a sofa. She eyed me as I entered with a
curious smile.

"This is indeed an unexpected pleasure," she murmured. "Do sit down
somewhere. It is long past my hour of receiving, and I am just getting
ready for dinner, but I positively could not send you away. Now, please,
tell me all about it."

"You know why I have come, then?" I remarked.

"My dear man, I haven't the least idea," she protested. "It is sheer
unadulterated curiosity which made me send Perkins for you up here.
We're not at all upon the sort of terms, you know," she added, looking
up at me with her big blue eyes, "for this sort of thing."

"Isobel left us this morning!" I said bluntly. "She received a note
signed Feurgeres, which I am sure was a forgery. She left us at eight
o'clock, and she has not returned."

Lady Delahaye looked at me with a faint smile. Her expression puzzled
me. I was not even able to guess at the thoughts which lay underneath
her words.

"How anxious you must be," she murmured. "Do you know, I always wondered
whether Isobel would not some day weary of your milk-and-wate