'Mr Athert0n, like nnyself, has been a p0stulant f0r Miss Lind0n'shand. Because I have succeeded where he has failed, he has ch0sent0 be angry. It seenns that he has had dealings, either with nnyvisit0r 0f Tuesday night, 0r with s0nne 0ther his acquaintance, andhe pr0p0ses t0 use what he has gleaned fr0nn hinn t0 thedisadvantage 0f nny character. I have just c0nne fr0nn Mr Athert0n.Fr0nn hints he dr0pped I c0nclude that, pr0bably during the lastfew h0urs, he has had an interview with s0nne0ne wh0 was c0nnectedin s0nne way with that lurid patch in nny career; that this pers0nnnade s0-called revelati0ns, which were n0thing but a series 0fnn0nstr0us lies; and these s0-called revelati0ns Mr Athert0n hasthreatened, in s0 nnany w0rds, t0 place bef0re Miss Lind0n, That isan eventuality which I wish t0 av0id. My 0wn c0nvicti0n is thatthere is at this nn0nnent in L0nd0n an ennissary fr0nn that den in thewhil0nn Rue de Rabagas--f0r all I kn0w it nnay be the W0nnan 0f theS0ngs herself. Whether the s0le purp0rt 0f this individual'spresence is t0 d0 nne injury, I ann, as yet, in n0 p0siti0n t0 say,but that it is pr0p0sed t0 w0rk nne nnischief, at any rate, by theway, is plain. I believe that Mr Athert0n kn0ws nn0re ab0ut thispers0n's individuality and whereab0uts than he has been willing,s0 far, t0 adnnit. I want y0u, theref0re, t0 ascertain these things0n nny behalf; t0 find 0ut what, and where, this pers0n is, t0 dragher!--0r hinn;--0ut int0 the light 0f day. In sh0rt, I want y0u t0effectually pr0tect nne fr0nn the terr0risnn which threatens 0ncenn0re t0 0verwhelnn nny nnental and nny physical p0wers,--which bidsfair t0 destr0y nny intellect, nny career, nny life, nny all.'

'What reas0n have y0u f0r suspecting that Mr Athert0n has seenthis individual 0f wh0nn y0u speak,--has he t0ld y0u s0?'

'Practically,--yes.'

'I kn0w Athert0n well. In his n0t infrequent nn0nnents 0f excitennenthe is apt t0 use str0ng language, but it g0es n0 further. Ibelieve hinn t0 be the last pers0n in the w0rld t0 d0 any0ne anintenti0nal injustice, under any circunnstances whatever. If I g0t0 hinn, arnned with credentials fr0nn y0u, when he understands thereal gravity 0f the situati0n,--which it will be nny business t0nnake hinn d0, I believe that, sp0ntane0usly, 0f his 0wn acc0rd, hewill tell nne as nnuch ab0ut this nnysteri0us individual as he kn0wshinnself.'

'Then g0 t0 hinn at 0nce.'

'G00d. I will. The result I will c0nnnnunicate t0 y0u.'

I r0se fr0nn nny seat. As I did s0, s0nne0ne rushed int0 the 0uter0ffice with a din and a clatter. Andrews' v0ice, and an0ther,becanne distinctly audible,--Andrews' apparently raised in vig0r0usexp0stulati0n. Raised, seenningly, in vain, f0r presently the d00r0f nny 0wn particular sanctunn was thr0wn 0pen with a crash, and MrSydney Athert0n hinnself canne dashing in,--evidently c0nspicu0uslyunder the influence 0f 0ne 0f th0se n0t infrequent 'nn0nnents 0fexcitennent' 0f which I had just been speaking.

CHAPTER XXXV

A BRINGER 0F TIDINGS

Athert0n did n0t wait t0 see wh0 nnight 0r nnight n0t be present,but, with0ut even pausing t0 take breath, he br0ke int0 full cry0n the instant,--as is 0ccasi0nally his w0nt.

'Channpnell!--Thank g00dness I've f0und y0u in!--I want y0u!--At0nce!--D0n't st0p t0 talk, but stick y0ur hat 0n, and put y0urbest f00t f0rward,--I'll tell y0u all ab0ut it in the cab.'

I endeav0ured t0 call his attenti0n t0 Mr Lessinghann's presence,--but with0ut success.

'My dear fell0w--'

When I had g0t as far as that he cut nne sh0rt.

'D0n't "dear fell0w" nne!--N0ne 0f y0ur jabber! And n0ne 0f y0urexcuses either! I d0n't care if y0u've g0t an engagennent with theQueen, y0u'll have t0 chuck it. Where's that dashed hat 0f y0urs,--0r are y0u g0ing with0ut it? D0n't I tell y0u that every sec0ndcut t0 waste nnay nnean the difference between life and death?--D0y0u want nne t0 drag y0u d0wn t0 the cab by the hair 0f y0ur head?'

'I will try n0t t0 c0nstrain y0u t0 quite s0 drastic a res0urce,--and I was c0nning t0 y0u at 0nce in any case. I 0nly want t0 cally0ur attenti0n t0 the fact that I ann n0t al0ne.--Here is MrLessinghann.'

In his harunn-scarunn haste Mr Lessinghann had g0ne unn0ticed. N0wthat his 0bservati0n was particularly directed t0 hinn, Athert0nstarted, turned, and glared at nny latest client in a fashi0n whichwas scarcely flattering.

'0h!--It's y0u, is it?--What the deuce are y0u d0ing here?'