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nat quit the | cafe myself until * they were well out 'of sight. Then I walked away in 'the same direction, inguired of a ad. the quickest way to reach A post-office, and stepped out oT had not gone far when 1 over- took them. They reached the building. - The Turks remained in the street and Gros Jean went in- "side, 'so. 1 followed him, and found hini inquiring for. letters at the Poste Restante department. Whete- upon I gent a telegram to Londofi."' "Who on earth did you telegraph to, Jack?' broke in Edith. <4 my shirt-maker, telling him to put a couple of dozens in hand at once." This unexpected answer provoked a general titter. "The funny thing to me," said Talbot, 'was the effect of the mes- sage on the telegraph clerk. He could evidently read English, and he surveyed me curiously, for in my present appearance I looked a most unlikely person to order shirts by telegram from a well-known Lon- don house. "However, I achieved my purpose, which was to overhear Gros Jean's request. - He asked if there were any letters for pi Isidor de Rion." "Good gracious," e¢ried Edith, ""what an aristocratic name for that fat man." "Anyhow, it was effective. - There was a letter for him, and he evi- dently only expected one, -for, be- fore the clerk. who handed it to him was able to examine the re- mainder of the packet, he tore it open, glanced briefly at its contents and then hurried out to join hist: friends in the street. After a short conclave they entered a cafe and procured a railway guide. I tried hard to find out what section of the book Gros Jean was looking at, but failed, for the double reason that he did not consult the Turks, nor, did he seem to make up his mind, for he looked through the book, sighed impatiently and sug- gested to the others that they should go cut again. 1 followed them into the Cannebiere, and thence down towards the harbor. When we reached the quay a small pleasure steamer was whistling for passengers, and a placard announc- ed a fifty-centimes return trip to the Chateau d'If. "Seemingly on the spur of the moment, Gros Jean anvited the others to atcompany him. Bo, of course; I followed thems When we reached the island, I guickly per- ceived that the castle: filled the whole of it. Therefore, in place of keeping behind them I went in front. We all passed om with the stream of sightseers until we reach- ed the courtyard. I had never been in the place before, but Gros Jéan seemed to know it well. Owing to my policy of preceding them I found myself halted for a moment at the foot of the stairs leading to the $ower. It struck me that the Frenchman was making in this di- rection; so I took the chance and! ran up. I reached the top and looked over before the party had entered the doorway at. the bot- tom. They came in. Thus far I was right. 1 looked: avotnd, and found, as you know, the sgquare|{M roof surrounded by bare battle- ments with a turret in one corner. 1 decided instantly that; it 'would peless to try to get close tog if they halted at"any other save in the Jenity of the ot. ~ Elsewhere 1 trains Messina, running na, but Marseilles until' Jou " thought it best that Shey, d have's a quiet talk on the. situation before deciding too hurriedly upon any line of action. "The rest of their' s sotvormmio 5 was _ incon teat, 8 alluding avidently' 0 Thiel they. had: u io Brett smiled grimly. "The com missary in Paris always follows up the wrong 'person,' he said. 'Had | dea he only used his wits yesterday morning he would have discovered that the agent of the Embassy was in touch with Hussein-ul-Mulk; Hence the presence of the quartette in Marseilles ' to-day." Talbot was naturally mystified by this remark until Brett explain- ed to him the circumstances already known to the reader. "Was there "anything else?" in- quired the barrister, reverting' to the chief 'topic before them. "Only 'this. "1 "gathered that Gros Jean did, not know his daugh- ter's: whereabouts in Marseilles, but she had arranged that if cir- cumstances necessitated her depar- ture from the town she would leave a letter for him in the Poste Res- tante, giving him full details. Nev- ertheless, this presupposes the knowledge on her part that he would come to Marseilles, so I as- sume therefore that telegrams must have passed between them yester- day afternoon.' "Obviously !"' said Brett. "i Any- thing else 1' "Yes," and now Talbot's voice took 'a note of passion that momen- tarily surprised his hearers. 'It seems to me that this under-hand- ed arrangement, if it goes through, condones the murder of pooy Mehe- met Ali and his aggistants; and' places on me the everlasting dia' grace of having permitted: this thing to happen whilst an import ant and special mission was en- trusted to my sole charge by the Foreign Office. ~ Dubois has been able to commit his crime, get away with the diamonds; hoodwink all of us most effectually, and, 'in' the re- sult, obtain a huge reward from the Turkish Government. for his services. I tell you, Mr. Brett, I won't put up with it. 1 will fol- low him 'to the other end of the world, and, at any rate, take per- sonal vengeance én the man who has ruined. my career. For, ro matter what you. say, the only «f- fective way in which I can rehibi- litate myself with my superiors is to hand back those diamonds ro the custody of the Foreign Office... No matter how the panic-stricken suv= ereign in Yildiz Kiosk may sacri- fice his servants : to gain his own ends, I, at least, have t aigher mos tive. It rests With me to prove that the British Government is nob to be humbugged by Paris thieves or Turkish agitators. If 1 fail in that duty there remains to mo the! personal 'motive of revenge! 'No, Edith; it is useless fo a*gue with me," for his sister had risen and placed her arms lovingly round 35 undo made ap. 1 supp 8 is 'made up suppose Brett feels that his inquiry is aided [For me it has just com- menced. / The young man's justifidble rage a sensation. : "May I ask," he said, "what rea- son you have to Suppose that, should so throw yacht uch better Be iow, and Twill look 8 feu know, Bret gave one glarce at] ed and smiling face, an: abandoned: argument as. An hour later the Blue, skimming past the' in Marseilles bay. te in CHAPTER XIX. Next morning they reached the | Straits of Bonifrcid, and heré they | had to slacken speed somewhat, for | the navigation of the nel was difficult and dangerous. Far behind them they could see a huge| steamer approaching. As morn- ing wore, this vessel came nearer, and Daubeney, important mow in his capacity of commander, an- nounced that she was the P. and O. rocky: chan- | : steamship Ganges, bound for Brin-| disi and the East, via the Btraits of Messina, "She-left Marseilles at. a late| hour last night," he said; "and| will call at Brindisi for the Indian mails," © An idea suddenly sera 'Brett, "Do you know how she - steaming 1' he a x "Dh, about. thirteen and & half|™ knots an hour. 'That is. her best rate. The P: and 0, boats are no ob flyers, you know." = "And 'does she stop at Mi 3 Daiubeney now caught the the barrister's questions. = "I don't think so." Another "hour passed { s was now almost alongside. Although beth ships 'we ell through the Straits of DBoaufRsic, and the Ganges should have: fol. lowed a course a point or two north of that pursued by the Blue: Bell, 'she. appeared' to be desirous to come close to them. Suddenly the reason became ap- parent. "A line' gb little flags flue. tered up to her 'masthead. "She is signalling us cried Daubeney excitedly, 'Help you," he shouted to a sailor, "bring Jones here 'at aonce.' Jones was' the yacht's expert sig- naller, He approached with a tele- scope and a code under his arm. After a prolonged gaze and a care- ful scrutiny of the nonnced--._ ""This is how the message readsit] 'Turks on board Stopping Messina, --Winter.! For once the barrister was start-| led out of his usual quiet self-pos: session, "Winter |" he almost sereamed, | Is" he there?" A hundred coursed. through realized that to attempt a long ea planation by s was not o out of the ques im; "but could no fail to attract the attention of sengers on board the Ganges. he did not desire to do. lightning, he decided that by inexplicable - means the Seo Yard detective had reached seillés full of the knowledge bois and the diamonds code, he an- clerk at a salary scarcely to keep body and soul fycar later he was agistrate. on he became tote quence. e of Detectives, his immediate | super ih: grade helps : improverfent on the ordina now Cochefert in 1902, and from then till store as ior being. Cochefert, the terror of evil-doers. Hamard succeeded now has held the office of Chiet of Detectives in the capita criminals of all natiol But stimitials, like kings, are cloge-| by watched, unlike the latter, are rarely "disturbed i in. Paris pro: of EN killed 'her husband, and} her mother, and whom some 'hold{ responsible for the death of Presi-| dent Felix Faure. The distracted| woman; in her frantic efforts to free herself from the disgrace off murder and parrictde, blamed pee: ple indiscriminately. = Finally, to cast the blame upon a servant, she put. a pear! in his pocket = book. Hamard had her arrested. She was acquitted, but the terrible or- 'deal she was put through during a long trial has forced a change in eo form of French criminal pro- edure, sags his most amusing 'Hamard 'say! Xperience Sour named Galley, who stole af from the Co Quick as | | where the| . gregate. | Those: n for En