ked through the hotel
restaurant, that all was going well, and he had indeed heard from
Falfani that he would arrive with Lord Blackadder that night._

_Later on that Saturday a telegram from Culoz reached Lady Claire from
Colonel Annesley giving the latest news, and bringing down Lady
Henriette's movements to the time of her departure for Marseilles. He
promised a later message from somewhere along the road with later
information, and soon after 9 P.M. Lady Claire was told they were
coming through by the night train, due at Marseilles at 4 A.M. next
morning. Thus all the parties to this imbroglio were about to be
concentrated in the same place, and it must depend upon the skill and
determination of one clever woman to turn events her way._]

She goes on to say:

It was a shock to me to hear that Henriette still lingered on the
fringe of danger, and I was very much disturbed at finding she might
be running into the very teeth of it. But I trusted to my good
fortune, and, better still, to good management, to keep her out of
harm's way until the coast was clear.

I was on the platform at 10 P.M. watching for the Blackadder
lot when they appeared. Tiler was there to receive them and spoke a
few words to my lord, who instantly looked round, for me no doubt, and
I slipped away. I did not wish to anticipate a crisis, and he was
quite capable of making a scene, even at the hotel at that time of
night. I was relieved at seeing him pass on, and the more so that he
did not take the turn into the Terminus Hotel, my hotel, but went
towards the entrance where a carriage was waiting for him. He meant of
course to put up in the town, either at the Noailles or the Louvre.

I lay down to take a short rest, but was roused in time to be again on
the platform at 4 A.M. to meet my friends. It was a joyful
meeting, but we lost little time over it. Henriette was fairly worn
out, and all but broke down when she saw me. The Colonel came to the
rescue as usual, and said briefly, after we had shaken hands:

"Take charge of her, Lady Claire, I will see to everything now. We can
talk later."

"Can you be at the entrance to the hotel in a couple of hours' time?
I shall want your advice, probably your assistance."

"You know you have only to ask," he answered, with the prompt,
soldierlike obedience, and the honest, unflinching look in his eyes
that I knew so well and loved in him. Here was, indeed, a brave, loyal
soul, to be trusted in impl