the true facts of the affair can be made
only by Muriel. I tell you, we must find her."

"Yes, we must--at all hazards," I said. "Let's go across to the
telegraph office opposite Charing Cross. It's open always." And we rose
and walked out along the Strand, now nearly deserted, and despatched an
urgent message to Muriel at an address in Hurlingham Road, Fulham.

Afterwards we stood outside on the curb, still talking, I loth to part
from him, when there passed by in the shadow two men in dark overcoats,
who crossed the road behind us to the front of Charing Cross station,
and then continued on towards Trafalgar Square.

As the light of the street lamp fell upon them, I thought I recognized
the face of one as that of a person I had seen before, yet I was not at
all certain, and my failure to remember whom the passer-by resembled
prevented me from saying anything further to Jack than:

"A fellow I know has just gone by, I think."

"We seem to be meeting hosts of friends to-night," he laughed. "After
all, old chap, it does one good to come back to our dear, dirty old town
again. We abuse it when we are here, and talk of the life in Paris, and
Vienna, and Brussels, but when we are away there is no place on earth so
dear to us, for it is 'home.' But there!" he laughed, "I'm actually
growing romantic. Ah! if we could only find Muriel! But we must
to-morrow. Ta-ta! I shall go around to the club and sleep, for I haven't
fixed on any diggings yet. Come in at ten to-morrow, and we will decide
upon some plan. One thing is plainly certain; Elma must at once be got
out of Russia. She's in deadly peril of her life there."

"Yes," I said. "And you will help me?"

"With all my heart, old fellow," answered my friend, warmly grasping my
hand, and then we parted, he strolling along towards the National
Gallery on his way back to the "Junior," while I returned to the _Cecil_
alone.

CHAPTER XVI

MARKED MEN

"Captain Durnford?" I inquired of the hall-porter of the club next
morning.

"Not here, sir."

"But he slept here last night," I remarked. "I have an appointment with
him."

The man consulted the big book before him, and answered:

"Captain Durnford went out at 9:27 last night, sir, but has not
returned."

Strange, I thought, but although I waited in the club nearly an hour, he
did not put in an appearance. I called again at noon, and he had not
come in, and again at two o'clock, but he had not even then made