e. Subsequently I was the victim of circumstances.
The French-speaking Turk, as I have told you, took no part whatever in
the negotiations, and when he became aware of the _modus operandi_
determined upon----"

"By the way," said Brett, "how did he become aware of it?"

"Oh, Mehemet Ali told him in French."

"Didn't that strike you as curious?"

"Most certainly it did. But the scoundrel explained it afterwards by
telling me that although a Turkish subject, he had lived in Algiers and
France since he was a child, and had quite forgotten his mother tongue.
But he was employed in a confidential position in the Turkish Embassy at
Paris, owing not only to family influence, but to his intimate
acquaintance with the French language."

"Ah!" said Brett, "Monsieur Henri Dubois has a ready wit."

"What!" cried Edith, who naturally enough was following each word with
the utmost interest, "do you already know his name?"

"Not only his name," replied Brett, "but his identity, Miss Talbot. You
shall see him in another skin and without the sword-cut. It is possible,
however, that before we meet, this distinguishing mark may be replaced
by a fractured skull or a bullet wound."

Fairholme suddenly clenched his right fist and examined his knuckles,
his unconscious action causing the others to laugh.

"Is he a Frenchman, then?" said Talbot.

"Unquestionably--a most modern product."

"And his name is Dubois?"

"Yes."

"All right. In future I will allude to him by his proper title. Well,
Monsieur Dubois strolled towards me with the easy confidence of a man
who was sure of himself.

"'This affair bores me,' he said. 'I see no reason why I, who am in no
way concerned with the Sultan's collection of precious stones, should
sit up all night keeping guard over them with these very earnest
gentlemen here. I am going to my hotel. I have sent my portmanteau to
the Carlton. Will you honour me by driving there and telling me
something about your wonderful London as we go?'

"The man looked at me with a meaning in his eyes that conveyed quite
plainly the intimation--

"'We can talk quietly in the cab, and I can explain much that is at
present hidden.' Unfortunately I fell in with his suggestions.

"We crossed the dining-room together. We were searched by the police in
the hall, much to his apparent surprise, and then we drove off through
St. George's Place.

"He at once aroused my curiosity by telling me sensational details of a