to-morrow morning."

He stared hard at the Count, and noted with sarcastic amusement the
other's appearance--so foppish, so effeminate to English eyes;
particularly did he gaze with scorn at the Count's yellow silk socks,
which matched his lemon-coloured tie and silk pocket handkerchief. Fancy
starting for a long night journey in such a "get-up." Well! Perhaps women
liked that sort of thing, but he would never have thought Sylvia Bailey
to be that sort of woman.

A change came over Paul de Virieu's face. There was unmistakable
relief--nay, more--even joy in the voice with which the Frenchman
answered,

"That is excellent! That is quite right! That is first-rate! Yes, yes,
Mr. Chester, you go back to Lacville and bring her away. It is not right
that Mrs. Bailey should be by herself there. It may seem absurd to you,
but, believe me, Lacville is not a safe spot in which to leave an
unprotected woman. She has not one single friend, not a person to whom
she could turn to for advice,--excepting, of course, the excellent
Polperro himself, and he naturally desires to keep his profitable
client."

"There's that funny old couple--I mean the man called Fritz
Something-or-other and his wife. Surely they're all right?" observed
Chester.

Paul de Virieu shook his head decidedly.

"The Wachners are not nice people," he said slowly. "They appear to be
very fond of Mrs. Bailey, I know, but they are only fond of themselves.
They are adventurers; 'out for the stuff,' as Americans say. Old Fritz
is the worst type of gambler--the type that believes he is going to get
rich, rich beyond dreams of avarice, by a 'system.' Such a man will do
anything for money. I believe they knew far more of the disappearance of
Madame Wolsky than anyone else did."

The Count lowered his voice, and leant over the table.

"I have suspected," he went on--"nay, I have felt sure from the very
first, Mr. Chester, that the Wachners are _blackmailers_. I am convinced
that they discovered something to that poor lady's discredit, and--after
making her pay--drove her away! Just before she left Lacville they were
trying to raise money at the Casino money-changer's on some worthless
shares. But after Madame Wolsky's disappearance they had plenty of gold
and notes."

Chester looked across at his companion. At last he was really impressed.
Blackmailing is a word which has a very ugly sound in an English lawyer's
ears.

"If that is really true," he said suddenl