tto. Enid felt that she must do one of two
things--either scream at the top of her voice, or fathom the mystery of
what, or who, it was that lay concealed.

She was no screamer, so screwing up her lips tightly she chose the
second course. A few vigorous tugs sent the mats flying hither and
thither, and disclosed a man lying prone upon his face on the wooden
seat, flattened out like a gigantic lizard. Enid shrank back a little as
the figure rose slowly, uncoiling its cramped limbs and peering and
blinking up at her. Intuitively she recoiled further still when she saw
the ferocity in the haggard eyes.

But even as she looked the fierceness died out, giving place to an
expression of patient sadness. The man, who was clad in a cotton blouse
and blue jean trousers, made a half-respectful, half-deprecating
gesture.

"Ah, so it is not Louise," he said gently in French. "So much the better
for the traitress, and for me, perhaps." Then he added in broken
English, "Ma'amselle must not be frighted. I do her no harm. I only poor
sailor man from onion ship, come in naice cool place for rest."

On the instant Enid's self-possession returned to her. She remembered
what her father had said to Reggie Beauchamp--that the clue to the
murder of Levison was probably connected with a French lugger engaged in
the onion trade, at present lying at Exmouth. It was on the cards that
her adventure was not to turn out so fruitless as she had feared. But
the man would require careful handling, for she did not lose sight of
the fact that she might be in the presence of a murderer. And she was
handicapped by not knowing what were the relations between Travers
Nugent and this foreigner.

In coming to a conclusion on the latter point, her inherited powers of
deduction came to her aid. She shrewdly reasoned that if the man were
well disposed towards the owner of The Hut, he would hardly be lurking
in the grounds, hidden under a pile of matting.

"I was not frightened--only startled," she replied pleasantly. "You see
I am an intruder here, just as much as I expect you are yourself. I am
afraid it will be as awkward for you as for me--my getting myself locked
in by that horrid creature."

Pierre Legros laughed grimly. "It no matter to me, so long as the right
person come to unlock the door," he said.

The words were suggestive of some sinister purpose--if not of some
secret relating to the past. Enid reflected quickly that she must draw
this man