suspected her
to be an adventuress, but now, on further acquaintance, I became
convinced that she held possession of some knowledge that she was
yearning to betray, yet feared to do so.

One fact that struck me as curious was that, in the course of our
conversation, she showed that she knew my destination was London. At
first this puzzled me, but on reflection I saw that the conductor,
knowing me, had told her.

At Erquelinnes we had descended and had our early _cafe complet_, and
now as we rushed onward to the capital she had suddenly made up her mind
to go through to London.

"When we arrive in Paris I must leave you to keep my appointments," she
said. "We will meet again at the Gare du Nord--at the Calais train, eh?"

"Most certainly," was the reply.

"Ah!" she sighed, looking straight into my face with those dark eyes
that were so luminous. "You do not know--you can never guess what a
great service you have rendered me by allowing me to travel here with
you. My peril is the gravest that--well, that ever threatened a
woman--yet now, by your aid, I shall be able to save myself. Otherwise,
to-morrow my body would have been exposed in the Morgue--the corpse of a
woman unknown."

"These words of yours interest me."

"Ah, m'sieur! You do not know. And I cannot tell you. It is a
secret--ah! if I only dare speak you would help me, I know," and I saw
in her face a look full of apprehension and distress.

As she raised her hand to push the dark hair from her brow, as though it
oppressed her, my eyes caught sight of something glistening upon her
wrist, half concealed by the lace on her sleeve. It was a magnificent
diamond bangle.

Surely such an ornament would not be worn by a mere governess! I looked
again into her handsome face, and wondered if she were deceiving me.

"If it be in my power to assist you, mademoiselle, I will do so with the
greatest pleasure. But, of course, I cannot without knowing the
circumstances."

"And I regret that my lips are closed concerning them," she sighed,
looking straight before her despairingly.

"Do you fear to go alone?"

"I fear my enemies no longer," was her reply as she glanced at the
little gold watch in her belt. "I shall be in Paris before noon--thanks
to you, m'sieur."

"Well, when you first made the request I had no idea of the urgency of
your journey," I remarked. "But I'm glad, very glad, that I've had an
opportunity of rendering you some slight service."

"Sl