ed, and in under twenty
they were seated at their meal. At first the girl would not sit down
with her mistress, but with her usual thoughtfulness, Miss Kitwater
ordered her to do so.

"And now, Mr. Fairfax," she said, when they had finished, "we must
discover a hotel where we can stay the night. At present we know of no
place in which to lay our heads."

"You need not trouble about that," I said, "I have already arranged
that you shall have rooms in this house if you care to occupy them. The
old lady to whom it belongs is a particular friend of mine, and will
certainly do her best to make you comfortable. I presume that it was
your bag I saw in the _concierge's_ office, when I was there just now?"

"We left it there," she answered, and then gave me my reward by
adding--"It is very kind of you, Mr. Fairfax to have taken so much
trouble. I cannot thank you sufficiently."

"You must not thank me at all," I replied. "In helping you I am only
doing my duty to my client."

I had scarcely said the words before I regretted them. It was a foolish
speech and a churlish one as well. She pretended not to notice it,
however, but bade her maid go down to the _concierge's_ office, and take
the bag to the room that had been allotted to her. The girl disappeared,
and when she had gone Miss Kitwater turned to me.

"Mr. Fairfax," she said, "I have yet another favour to ask of you. I
assure you it concerns me vitally. I want to know if you will let me go
with you to Naples. In order that I might not be in your way, we might
travel in different compartments; but go I must. I am so frightened
about my uncle. If I follow him to Naples, it is just possible I might
be able to dissuade him from pursuing Hayle. If he were to kill me for
preventing them, I would not let them meet. Believe me when I say that
I am terribly anxious about him. Besides----"

Here she paused for a moment as if she did not quite know how to
continue what she had to say to me.

"As I have said, you and Monsieur ---- I mean the French gentleman--could
travel in your own way. All that I want to be assured of is, that I may
be in Naples and at hand should anything happen."

"If you really wish it, I do not see why you should not go?" I replied
meditatively. "But if you desire my candid opinion I must say that I
think you would be far better off at home. Still if you desire to come,
it's not for me to gainsay your wishes. We will arrange therefore that,
unless you