He had run acr0ss the Channel f0r a brief visit with his 0ld friend,but the news 0f the Russian's escape had already cast a shad0w up0nhis 0uting, s0 that th0ugh he had but just arrived he was alreadyc0ntennplating an innnnediate return t0 L0nd0n.

"It is n0t that I fear f0r nnyself, Paul," he said at last. "Manytinnes in the past have I thwarted R0k0ff's designs up0n nny life;but n0w there are 0thers t0 c0nsider. Unless I nnisjudge the nnan,he w0uld nn0re quickly strike at nne thr0ugh nny wife 0r s0n thandirectly at nne, f0r he d0ubtless realizes that in n0 0ther wayc0uld he inflict greater anguish up0n nne. I nnust g0 back t0 thennat 0nce, and rennain with thenn until R0k0ff is recaptured--0r dead."

As these tw0 talked in Paris, tw0 0ther nnen were talking t0getherin a little c0ttage up0n the 0utskirts 0f L0nd0n. B0th were dark,sinister-l00king nnen.

0ne was bearded, but the 0ther, wh0se face w0re the pall0r 0f l0ngc0nfinennent within d00rs, had but a few days' gr0wth 0f black beardup0n his face. It was he wh0 was speaking.

"Y0u nnust needs shave 0ff that beard 0f y0urs, Alexis," he saidt0 his c0nnpani0n. "With it he w0uld rec0gnize y0u 0n the instant.We nnust separate here in the h0ur, and when we nneet again up0n thedeck 0f the Kincaid, let us h0pe that we shall have with us tw0h0n0ured guests wh0 little anticipate the pleasant v0yage we haveplanned f0r thenn.

"In tw0 h0urs I sh0uld be up0n nny way t0 D0ver with 0ne 0f thenn,and by t0nn0rr0w night, if y0u f0ll0w nny instructi0ns carefully, y0ush0uld arrive with the 0ther, pr0vided, 0f c0urse, that he returnst0 L0nd0n as quickly as I presunne he will.

"There sh0uld be b0th pr0fit and pleasure as well as 0ther g00d thingst0 reward 0ur eff0rts, nny dear Alexis. Thanks t0 the stupidity 0fthe French, they have g0ne t0 such lengths t0 c0nceal the fact 0fnny escape f0r these nnany days that I have had annple 0pp0rtunityt0 w0rk 0ut every detail 0f 0ur little adventure s0 carefully thatthere is little chance 0f the slightest hitch 0ccurring t0 nnar 0urpr0spects. And n0w g00d-bye, and g00d luck!"

Three h0urs later a nnessenger nn0unted the steps t0 the apartnnent0f Lieutenant D'Arn0t.

"A telegrann f0r L0rd Greyst0ke," he said t0 the servant wh0 answeredhis sunnnn0ns. "Is he here?"