say to them they needn't grudge me a new interest in life. It's very
good for me."

"Why, what have you got to do?" ventured Nevill, who was ready to go
with Stephen and buy a berth on board the _Charles Quex_ the moment the
office opened.

Lady MacGregor looked at him mysteriously. "Being men, I suppose neither
of you _would_ guess," she replied. "But you shall both know after
Stephen's adventure is over. I hope you'll like the idea. But if you
don't I'm sorry to say it won't make any difference."

The so-called "adventure" had less of excitement in it than had been in
the planning. It was faithfully carried out according to Nevill's first
suggestion, with a few added details, but Stephen felt incredibly
foolish, rather like a Guy Fawkes mummer, or a masked and bedizened
guest arriving by mistake the night after the ball. So far as he could
see, no one was watching. All his trouble seemed to be for nothing, and
he felt that he had made a fool of himself, even when it was over, and
he had changed into civilized clothing, in a room in the old town, taken
by Adolphe Roslin, the detective. It was arranged for Stephen to wait
there, until Roslin could give him news of Si Maieddine's movements,
lest the Arab should be subtle enough to suspect a trick, after all.

Toward evening the news came. Maieddine had taken a ticket for Biskra,
and a sleeping berth in the train which would leave at nine o'clock.
Nevertheless, Roslin had a man watching Monsieur de Mora's house, in
case the buying of the ticket were a "bluff," or Si Maieddine should
change his plans at the last minute.

Nevill had come in, all excitement, having bought cheap "antique"
jewellery in a shop downstairs, by way of an excuse to enter the house.
He was with Stephen when Roslin arrived, and they consulted together as
to what should be done next.

"Roslin must buy me a ticket for Biskra, of course," said Stephen. "I'll
hang about the station in an overcoat with my collar turned up and a cap
over my eyes. If Maieddine gets into the train I'll get in too, at a
respectful distance of course, and keep an eye open to see what he does
at each stop."

"There's a change of trains, to-morrow morning," remarked Nevill.
"There'll be your difficulty, because after you're out of one train you
have to wait for the other. Easy to hide in Algiers station, and make a
dash for the end of the train when you're sure of your man. But in a
little open, road-side halting-place,