"That's all I want. Just get word to Menard that Skeel seems to be missing. That will be sufficient. Will you say this to your friends?"
"Yes, I will, Renoux. I'll be glad to. I'll be particularly happy to offer to Miss Dunois this proof of your confidence in her integrity."
"For me," he said, "Miss Dunois is what she pretends to be. I have so informed my Government at home and its representatives at Washington."
"Yes, a telegram in cipher from Washington late this afternoon."
"Yes. Our Ambassador is taking up immediately the clues Miss Dunois furnished me last night. Also, he has cabled at length to my home Government. At this hour, no doubt, d'Eblis, Bolo, probably an ex-minister or two, are being watched. And in this country your Government is now in possession of facts which must suggest a very close surveillance of the activities of Ferez Bey."
"He _was_ in New York. But he gave us the slip. An eel!" he added, rising. "Oh, we shall pick up his slimy traces again in time. But it is mortifying.... Well, thank you, mon ami. I must go." And he started toward the hall.
"Yes, up the road a bit." He glanced through the sidelight of the front door, carelessly. "A couple of men out yonder dodging about. Have you noticed them, Barres?"
"They're out there in the shadow of your wall. I imagined that I'd be followed." He smiled and opened the front door.
"Wait!" whispered Barres. "You are not going out there alone, are you?"
"Well, I don't like it, Renoux. I'll walk as far as your car----"
"Don't trouble! I have no personal apprehension----"
"All the same," muttered the other, continuing on down the front steps beside his comrade.
Renoux shrugged good-humouredly his disapproval of such precaution, but made no further protest. Nobody was visible anywhere on the grounds. The big iron gates were still locked, but the wicket was open. Through this they stepped out onto the macadam.
A little farther along stood a touring car with two men in it.
"You see?" began Renoux--when his words were cut by the crack of a pistol, and the red tail-light of the car crashed into splinters and went dark.
"Well, by God!" remarked Renoux calmly, looking at the woods across the road and leisurely producing an automatic pistol.