ly disguised relief in her
tones. "Come, won't you, and speak to him."

The interruption broke the spell. The driver averted his eyes and
stooped over his engine; Merriman turned towards the girl, and the
little incident was over.

It was evident to Merriman that he had in some way put his foot in
it, how he could not imagine, unless there was really something in the
matter of the number plate. But it was equally clear to him that his
companion wished to ignore the affair, and he therefore expelled it from
his mind for the moment, and once again following the direction of her
gaze, moved towards a man who was approaching from the far end of the
shed.

He was tall and slender like his daughter, and walked with lithe,
slightly feline movements. His face was oval, clear skinned, and with a
pallid complexion made still paler by his dark hair and eyes and a
tiny mustache, almost black and with waxed and pointed ends. He was
good-looking as to features, but the face was weak and the expression a
trifle shifty.

His daughter greeted him, still with some perturbation in her manner.

"We were just looking for you, daddy," she called a little breathlessly.
"This gentleman is cycling to Bordeaux and has run out of petrol. He
asked me if there was any to be had hereabouts, so I told him you could
give him some."

The newcomer honored Merriman with a rapid though searching and
suspicious glance, but he replied politely, and in a cultured voice:

"Quite right, my dear." He turned to Merriman and spoke in French. "I
shall be very pleased to supply you, monsieur. How much do you want?"

"Thanks awfully, sir," Merriman answered in his own language. "I'm
English. It's very good of you, I'm sure, and I'm sorry to be giving so
much trouble. A liter should run me to Bordeaux, or say a little more in
case of accidents."

"I'll give you two liters. It's no trouble at all." He turned and spoke
in rapid French to the driver.

"Oui, monsieur," the man replied, and then, stepping up to his chief, he
said something in a low voice. The other started slightly, for a
moment looked concerned, then instantly recovering himself, advanced to
Merriman.

"Henri, here, will send a man with a two-liter can to where you have
left your machine," he said, then continued with a suave smile:

"And so, sir, you're English? It is not often that we have the pleasure
of meeting a fellow-countryman in these wilds."

"I suppose not, sir, but I can assu