Row in the morning
and gave parties at night, while the usual crop of charitable functions,
society scandals, Parliamentary debates, and puff-paragraphs in the
papers about Lady Nobody's dances showed the gay world of London to be in
full swing.

My mantelshelf was well decorated with cards of invitation, for,
nowadays, the bachelor in London can have a really good time if he
chooses, yet I accepted few, spending most of my days immersed in
business--in order to occupy my thoughts--while my evenings I spent at
Cromwell Road.

For weeks Phrida had not referred to the tragedy in any way, and I had
been extremely careful to avoid the subject. Yet, from her pale, drawn
countenance--so unlike her former self--I knew how recollection of it
ever haunted her, and what dread terror had gripped her young heart.

Mrs. Shand, ignorant of the truth, had many times expressed to me
confidentially, fear that her daughter was falling into a bad state of
health; and, against Phrida's wishes, had called in the family doctor,
who, likewise ignorant, had ordered her abroad.

"Get her out of the dullness of this road, Mrs. Shand," he had said. "She
wants change and excitement. Take her to some gay place on the
Continent--Dinard, Trouville, Aix-les-Bains, Ostend--some place where
there is brightness and movement. A few weeks there will effect a great
change in her, I'm certain."

But Phrida refused to leave London, though I begged her to follow the
doctor's advice, and even offered to accompany them.

As far as I could gather, Van Huffel, in Brussels, had given up the
search for the fugitives; though, the more I reflected upon his replies
to my questions as to the real identity of Marie Bracq, the more
remarkable they seemed.

Who was she? That was the great problem uppermost always in my mind.
Phrida had declared that she only knew her by that name--that she knew
nothing further concerning her. And so frankly had she said this, that I
believed her.

Yet I argued that, if the death of Marie Bracq was of such serious moment
as the _Chef du Surete_ had declared, then he surely would not allow the
inquiry to drop without making the most strenuous efforts to arrest those
suspected of the crime.

But were his suspicions, too, directed towards Phrida? Had he, I
wondered, been in consultation with Edwards, and had the latter, in
confidence, revealed to him his own theory?

I held my breath each time that idea crossed my mind--as it did