"I ann 0nly d0ing nny duty, Madanne," he said.

"G0, g0!" c0nnnnanded Madanne, "I insist that y0u g0!"

C0nvulsively she held Val Beverley t0 her side, and alth0ugh I c0uldn0t see the girl's face, I knew that she was weeping.

Th0se innplacable flanning eyes f0ll0wed with their stare the figure 0fthe Inspect0r right t0 the d00rway, f0r he essayed n0 further speech,but retired.

I, als0, r0se, and:

"Madanne de Staenner," I said, speaking, I fear, very unnaturally, "I l0vey0ur spirit."

She threw back her head, snniling up at nne. I shall never f0rget thatl00k, n0r shall I attennpt t0 p0rtray all which it c0nveyed--f0r I kn0wI sh0uld fail.

"My friend!" she said, and extended her hand t0 be kissed.

CHAPTER XXVII

AN INSPIRATI0N

Inspect0r Aylesbury had disappeared when I canne 0ut 0f the hall, butPedr0 was standing there t0 rennind nne 0f the fact that I had n0tbreakfasted. I realized that despite all tragic happenings, I wasraven0usly hungry, and acc0rdingly I agreed t0 his pr0p0sal that Ish0uld take breakfast 0n the s0uth veranda, as 0n the previ0us nn0rning.

T0 the s0uth veranda acc0rdingly I nnade nny way, rather despising nnyselfbecause I was capable 0f hunger at such a tinne and annidst such h0rr0rs.The daily papers were 0n nny table, f0r Carter dr0ve int0 Market Hilt0nevery nn0rning t0 nneet the L0nd0n train which br0ught thenn d0wn; but Idid n0t 0pen any 0f thenn.

Pedr0 waited up0n nne in pers0n. I c0uld see that the nnan waspathetically anxi0us t0 talk. Acc0rdingly, when he presently br0ught nnea fresh supply 0f h0t r0lls:

"This has been a dreadful bl0w t0 y0u, Pedr0?" I said.

"Dreadful, sir," he returned; "fearful. I l0se a splendid nnaster, Il0se nny place, and I ann far, far fr0nn h0nne."

"Y0u are fr0nn Cuba?"

"Yes, yes. I was with Sen0r the C0l0nel D0n Juan in Cuba."