."

"We will succeed yet. Do not be cast down, my sweet dear." The maid
patted her on the cheek with great affection. "We shall find a way.
This gentleman, the colonel here, will help us, perhaps."

"Will you?" Who could resist her pleading voice and shining eyes? If I
had had any scruples left I would have thrown them to the winds.

"Whatever lies in my power to do shall be done without stint or
hesitation," I said solemnly, careless of all consequences, content to
hold her hand and earn her heartfelt thanks. What though I were
pawning my honour?

CHAPTER VI.

[_The Statement of Domenico Falfani, confidential agent,
made to his employers, Messrs. Becke and Co., of the Private
Inquiry Offices, 279 St. Martin's Lane, W.C._]

I propose, gentlemen, to set down here at length the story of my
mission, and the events which befell me from the time I first received
my instructions. You desired me to pursue and call to strict account a
certain lady of title, who had fallen away from her high estate and
committed an act of rank felony. The circumstances which led up to her
disappearance and the partners of her flight are already well known to
you.

The only indication given me, as you are aware, was that I might take
it for granted that she would go abroad and probably by the most
direct route to the South, to Switzerland and across the Alps into
Italy. My orders having only reached me in the early morning, the
theft having presumably been committed during the night previous to
Sunday, September 21, I was unable to ascertain through the tourist
agencies whether any and what tickets had been booked in the
directions indicated.

My most urgent duty then was to watch the outgoing Continental trains,
the first of which left Charing Cross for Dover and Calais at 9
A.M. I closely watched it therefore, and its passengers, and
travelled with it to Cannon Street, where I continued my search, but
without result. I was greatly helped in my quest by the not unusual
fact noticeable on Sundays, that travellers abroad are few in number.

I had no difficulty in satisfying myself that the lady and her party
were not in this train, and I returned at once to Charing Cross in
time for the second Continental train, the 10 A.M.

I had resolved to book myself by that as far as Amiens, for I knew
that, once there, I should have reached a central point or junction, a
sort of throat through which every train moving southward to Paris