at Cleek, who nodded back at him happily. Seated by Ailsa's side, with her hand lying in the crook of his arm, the world spelt happiness complete. Even Count Irma and the menace of the Apaches were far distant. He lived for the moment in the lap of a glorious reality.
The journey's end reached at last, he saw Ailsa safely into a taxi, and promised to be with her in a short half hour. Then bidding good-bye to Mr. Narkom he turned on his heel and forged ahead through the stream of traffic that surged in and out of Charing Cross station. Foreigners there were always in plenty, but to Cleek, absorbed though he was in the narrow escape of the woman who represented the whole sum of human happiness to him, there seemed an ever-increasing number of Frenchmen in the moving medley of humanity. It brought a frown to his brows, and his mouth puckered into a network of tiny creases that boded ill for any one who might cross his path and his temper at that particular moment.
But long before he had reached the safety of Clarges Street the magic of London had exerted its soothing power; the old philosophical outlook returned and the grimness departed, for, after all, and despite everything, God was in his heaven, as the poet sang, and "all's right with the world."
Of a sudden he gave out a happy laugh and swung round the corner of the street, glancing up at the house wherein he had taken up his lodging till he and Ailsa should find themselves a more suitable apartment. At the very thought of what was to follow, his heart sang with happiness. But in his room all was dark; no light met him on the landing, the place was silent and deserted. Dollops had not yet returned.
On the table in the dining-room stood the remains of a meal that would have been ruinous to the strongest of digestions — a menu in which Dutch cheese, pickled walnuts, jam puffs, and monkey nuts figured conspicuously. Cleek laughed aloud at the sight of the disordered table.
"Only an ostrich could digest " he commenced, but the sentence died on his lips unfinished. Of a sudden his mouth fell open, he screwed round at the sound of the door being opened cautiously, and Dollops's face, the colour of new dough, peered in on him in the half light, like an eerie spirit.
"Gawd's truth, guv'nor, it is you, is it? I've got back!" ejaculated that individual with a sigh of relief. "Thank the Lord for that! I wasn't in 'arf a funk since those blessed foreign johnnies went through this place only this afternoon! Look at it, sir, look at it! Fair makes you sick!"
Cleek did "look at it," as Dollops switched on another electric, and the curious, one-sided smile travelled up his face.
That something had been "wanted" was more than evident, for every article had been turned out of drawer and box and lay in one disordered heap in the centre of the floor.
"What were they after?" he rapped out sharply.
"Lumme, that's what I asked, when I saw 'em wiv my own blessed peepers," Dollops gave back excitedly. "But I gives 'em the slip when they was ready to be off again and 'id in a cupboard. And 'ere I am."
But Cleek had vanished through the open door leading into his bedroom, and Dollops's voice came to him dimmed by the distance. "Them blooming Apaches," said he angrily, "they're all over the place, and buzzing like a nest of hornets."
Cleek gave out a little laugh and peered at him through the open door.
"Well, what of that? Surely you're getting used to them by this time? All you've got to do is to see that these rooms are kept locked while I'm away. Though what in the name of fortune should make Count Irma desire to go through my property like this?"
Speaking, he drove his hand into the pocket of the coat he had worn all day, his fingers touched a little metal object, and in a sudden fever of enlightenment he grew very still. It was no less than a ring, the false ring of Maurevania, which Mr. Narkom had withdrawn from the dead finger that had given him such an agony of anguish.
"Oho!" said he, a curious look passing across his grim face. "He looked for the proof of his crime, did he? So, Count Irma, there are others besides myself who will demand a reckoning for this day's work."
He replaced the ring in his dress-coat pocket, and completed his toilet in silence.
Ten minutes later, leaving Dollops on the watch, and as alert as a terrier over a rat hole, Cleek sallied forth, his own nerves keyed up to conceit pitch by the presence of an ever-increasing danger. Few would have recognized in the immaculately clad gentleman who took his seat at Mrs. Hawkesley's dinner table a short while later the effeminate young officer who had so lately looked upon the borderland of tragedy and averted a still greater one by the power of his wonderful mind; and only those few could be numbered as the ones who knew.
CHAPTER IV.
IT WAS precisely an hour later that they were seated in a private box at the Alhambra, for Mrs. Hawkesley had chosen that place of amusement, the Captain having promised to join them from the club. And the performance was halfway over when the little flurry caused by the entry of fresh people made Cleek look down idly into the stalls. The sight of two occupants there gazing back at him in a sort of atrophied hatred, which included Ailsa as well, drove a little spasm of fear through his heart. Let them do what they like to him, let them trap him and kill him, or torture him, as the fates provided, but let one hair of her head be touched, and he would show them that the very demons of hell could be let loose for one man's service and one man's gain. No less the familiarity of the two, Count Irma and the pretty lady at his side, clad in a shimmering, gauze-like material that was like the lining of a sea shell, and with the diamonds flashing in her dark hair, caused him to give vent to a little exclamation of surprise.
"Margot!" he ejaculated, and at the sound of that name Ailsa turned swiftly to where his eyes rested, and met those of Margot fixed on her with all the insolent hatred that was at the creature's command.
She clenched her hands as she gave out a little cry of dismay.
"The two together!" she said in a low, terrified voice, "What does it mean?"
"Mischief," flung back Cleek sharply. "That's what it means, Ailsa, mischief."
Of a sudden came the swift opening of the box door, and Captain Hawkesley entered. Cleek was upon his feet instantly.
"In the very nick of time, Captain," he said in a low, smooth voice. "You have often expressed a desire to make us quits. Here, then, is your opportunity. Take this seat; Ailsa will explain. I haven't time; but for God's sake keep your face unseen. The game will be up if they recognize you. Quick, Ailsa, another of your roses, dear, like mine here; this one I cannot part with." He smiled whimsically as Ailsa obediently placed one of the Chatenay buds in the Captain's empty buttonhole. "And one of your orchids for me, Mrs. Hawkesley. Now, fix your attention on the stage "
"But you " broke in Ailsa with a little gasp of despair.
"I am safe enough. I can disguise myself when necessary. Have no fear." Speaking, he turned abruptly. The door flashed open and flashed shut again. And even Ailsa, who knew the secret of his peculiar birthright, found it difficult to conceive that the French Apache of the better class, with the orchid in his buttonhole, who swaggered into the stalls a minute or so later, was the man who had just left them.
That he succeeded in deceiving Margot was only too evident, for she was seen to introduce him with many shrill laughs and shrugs of her white shoulders to Count Irma, and the three were soon in deep confab, oblivious to the entertainment on the stage, or of the disapproving glances of
