ft. He went
straight to the commissary to inform him that, contrary to expectations,
the Turks were acting in complete accord with mademoiselle's father.
This naturally puzzled the commissary a good deal, and the affair became
still stranger when an attache from the Turkish Embassy called a little
later and urged the police to do all in their power to discover the
whereabouts of Hussein-ul-Mulk, as he was particularly anxious to have a
friendly talk with him.

"Close on the heels of the Turk came a confidential messenger from the
British Embassy, requesting the latest details, and, when questioned by
the commissary, this man admitted that he had in the first instance
called to see me at the Grand Hotel.

"In a word, Miss Talbot, I had suspected the existence of the
negotiations, which your brother's smart piece of work this morning has
confirmed."

Whilst they were talking Fairholme took Daubeney on one side, and with
Brett's permission gave him a detailed account of the whole affair.

The Honourable James Daubeney was delighted to be mixed up in this
international imbroglio. He told the earl that the _Blue-Bell_ was at
his disposal at any moment of the day or night she might be required.
Indeed, he forthwith excused himself on the ground that certain little
formalities were requisite before he could clear the harbour, and he
must hurry off to attend to these immediately.

"I tell you what," he added, with his hand on the door, "I will come
back and dine with you, if I may, at half-past seven, because I shall
not sleep to-night until I hear how things are going on. But I promise
you, if I meet a single Turk between here and the harbour, I will cross
over to the other side of the street."

No one quite knew what he meant by this portentous guarantee, but it was
evident that Daubeney, if nothing else, was a man of action, and his
yacht might become very useful.

He had hardly quitted the hotel when a waiter announced that a _jeune
Francais_ wished to see Mr. Brett.

"Show him up," said the barrister, and a moment later Talbot entered. He
stood near the door twiddling his hat in his hand until the waiter had
gone. Then he told them what had happened since he took up his quarters
at the Hotel des Jolies Femmes.

"When I reached there," he said, "I was under the impression that Gros
Jean and the Turks were in bed. I hired my room; sent my tin box there,
and then settled myself in the cafe to smoke cigarettes and r