this fact is to be
wondered at. I pitied her from the bottom of my heart, and was prepared
to do all that lay in my power to help her. It was a strange change for
her, from the quiet little village of Bishopstowe, to the pursuit of a
criminal across Europe to an island in the Mediterranean.

"And when it is over?" was the question I asked myself on numerous
occasions. "What is going to happen then? I suppose I shall bid her
good-bye, she will thank me for the trouble I have taken, and then our
acquaintance will be at an end."

After that it had become my habit to heave a prodigious sigh, and to
wonder whether she could ever be induced to----

But somehow I never got much further with my speculations. Was it likely
she would ever think twice of me? She was invariably kind and
thoughtful; she deferred to me on everything, and seemed to think my
opinions and actions must of necessity be right. Apart from that I felt
certain I had made no other impression upon her.

"Now, _mon ami_," said Leglosse, when we had installed ourselves at our
hotel, "I think it would be better that you should efface yourself for a
time. None of the men we are after know me, but Hayle and Codd would
both recognize you at once. Let me go into the town to make a few
inquiries, and if they are satisfactory we shall know how to act. Do
your best to amuse mademoiselle, and I will hasten back to you as soon
as I have anything to tell."

Upon my consenting to this arrangement he set off, leaving me free to
devote myself to the amusement of Miss Kitwater. As soon as she joined
me we made our way into the garden of the hotel, and seating ourselves
on a comfortable bench, spent the remainder of the morning basking in
the sunshine, and watching the exquisite panorama that was spread out
before us.

"I wonder what they are doing at Bishopstowe now?" I said, and a moment
later wished I had held my tongue.

"Poor little Bishopstowe," my companion answered. "How thankful I shall
be to get safely back to it! I don't think I shall ever want to
travel again."

"Ah! you cannot tell," I replied. "You are seeing the world just now
under very unfavourable auspices. Some day perhaps you will follow the
same route under conditions as happy as these are the reverse."

I think she must have guessed to what I referred, for her face flushed a
little, and she hastily diverted the conversation into another channel,
by drawing my attention to a picturesque sailing-bo