. She had an impression of a white
face, two large black spaces where his eyes were and a black beard. He
sat all the time in the shadow of a curtain.

Jean looked round to see if Marcus Stepney was present, hoping that he
had witnessed the exchange of courtesies, but Marcus at that moment was
watching little bundles of twelve thousand franc notes raked across to
the croupier's end of the table--which is the business end of Monte
Carlo.

Jean was the last to leave the car when it set them down at the Villa
Casa. Mordon called her respectfully.

"Excuse me, mademoiselle," he said, "I wish you would come to the garage
and see the new tyres that have arrived. I don't like them."

It was a code which she had agreed he should use when he wanted her.

"Very good, Mordon, I will come to the garage later," she said
carelessly.

"What does Mordon want you for?" asked her father, with a frown.

"You heard him. He doesn't approve of some new tyres that have been
bought for the car," she said coolly. "And don't ask me questions. I've
got a headache and I'm dying for a cup of chocolate."

"If that fellow gives you any trouble he'll be sorry," said Briggerland.
"And let me tell you this, Jean, that marriage idea of yours----"

She only looked at him, but he knew the look and wilted.

"I don't want to interfere with your private affairs," he mumbled, "but
the very thought of it gets me crazy."

The garage was a brick building erected by the side of the carriage
drive, built much nearer the house than is usually the case.

Jean waited a reasonable time before she slipped away. Mordon was
waiting for her before the open doors of the garage. The place was in
darkness; she did not see him standing in the entrance until she was
within a few paces of the man.

"Come up to my room," he said briskly.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I want to speak to you and this is not the place."

"This is the only place where I am prepared to speak to you at the
moment, Francois," she said reproachfully. "Don't you realise that my
father is within hearing, and at any moment Madame Meredith may come
out? How would I explain my presence in your room?"

He did not answer for the moment, then:

"Jean, I am worried," he said, in a troubled voice. "I cannot understand
your plans--they are too clever for me, and I have known men and women
of great attainment. The great Bersac----"

"The great Bersac is dead," she said coldly. "He was a ma