"You have
no doubt heard of us, and know us to be eminently respectable?"

"Never heard of you before," answered Jack, with a chuckle. "Good-
morning, Mr Mackintosh!" And with a somewhat ironical bow he left the
stranger gaping with astonishment.

"Now, what is the meaning of this, and what does Mr--Mackintosh--of
Inveraray--want with Carlos, I wonder?" mused the young man, as he
strode off across the Park. He considered the matter carefully for a
few minutes, and presently snapped his fingers as he felt that he had
solved the puzzle.

"I don't believe he is in the least anxious to obtain Montijo's
address," he mused, "otherwise he would have followed Carlos--not me!
But I suspect that he has been quietly dogging Carlos, with a view to
discovering what friends he and his father make here in England; and,
having seen Carlos and me together for some hours to-day, he was
desirous of obtaining an opportunity to become acquainted with my
features and general appearance. Shouldn't wonder if he follows me up
and tries to discover where I live--yes, there the beggar is, obviously
following me! Very well, I have no objection; on the contrary, the task
of dodging him will add a new zest to life. And I'll give him a good
run for his money!"

And therewith Jack, who had thus far been sauntering very quietly along,
suddenly stepped out at his smartest pace, and was greatly amused to
observe the anxiety which the stranger evinced to keep up with him. Out
through the gate by the corner of Stafford House grounds strode Jack,
across the Mall, through the gate into Saint James's Park, and along the
path leading to the bridge, where he stopped, ostensibly to watch some
children feeding the ducks, but really to see what the stranger would
do. Then on again the moment that the latter also stopped, on past the
drinking fountain and through the gate, across Birdcage Walk, and so
into Queen Anne's Gate, a little way along York Street, then to the left
and through into Victoria Street, across the road, and into the main
entrance of the Army and Navy Stores. As he ran up the steps he glanced
over his shoulder and saw his pursuer frantically striving to dodge
between a 'bus and a hansom cab and still to keep his eyes on Jack, who
passed in through the heavy swing doors, through the grocery department,
sharp round to the right through the accountant's office into the
perfumery department, and so out into Victoria Street again, making