The Crime Club

the swell. It came on to blow, and blew hard un

maining in their cabins, but it was hardly sufficiently rough to

elun's absence, alleging against him that he sought t

ham on deck. And those maidens whose beauty was weatherproof rejoiced in the fa

their dreams of endless millions were unspoiled by any knowledge

hile Melun came on deck looking sullen and morose, the baronet pleaded a slight attack of fever and hid himself in his state-room. Nor indeed, until with all that serenity on

baronet and a millionaire. They proposed to wire his life-story up to London for the benefit of readers beyond number. Hard upon the reporters came the fussy r

all, spare, clean-shaven man dressed in clerical garb. Even the fact that his face was e

to the head of the gangway, where his fresh and smiling face invited confidence

ng forward, asked the tall, youthful p

smiled and

wo minutes ago in

d, smiling blandly to himself, Westerham settled his cl

to satisfy the most exacting of romantic minds. It was, indeed, with almost boyish zest that he entered on the adventure, and

wer of his fellow-passengers were likely to congregate than at the North-Western, deposited hi

t night, proceeding up to L

drove straight to Walter's, a small yet comf

ready-made, clothes, together with a tweed cap, so that there was left about him

quiry as to his bona fides at the hotel. In an hour he had comfortably settled himself in hi

is friend, Lord Dunton, who was practically the only man

a quiet corner chuckling over the vivid accounts in the various newspapers whi

iption were set forth to account for Sir Paul Westerham's vanishment. There were interviews with the captain and purser of the Giganti

y outlined to Dunton the adventure with Melun

by and see me through. It is practically impossible for me to achieve what I consid

your whim I see no reason why I should not do my best not only to humo

e-eyed, and very vapid, had in his composition a gre

n arranged the ma

Soho, where nobody who knew Dunton was likely to meet them,

ight. They sat together, indeed, until past two o'clock, so that even the polite porter at Walter'

incoln's Inn. There they had a long and not wholly placid interview with Mr. Victor Hantell, a some

ons, however, the baronet ha

o remain entrusted with the care

talk matters were arranged t

Westerham might be able to draw such sums of money as he required without any knowl

lute secrecy, so that with the exception of the lawyer

grave-mannered senior clerk entered quietly and placed on Mr. Hantell's desk a card that bore the name of some great London

been dealt with, Westerham and Dunton went to lunch, and at

han luxurious rooms in Bruton Street in the name of James Robinson. It should b

life on a somewhat splendid scale. Where, of course, it will land me, and into what difficulties it will plunge me, naturally I cannot tell, but it i

garding Melun with the very gravest suspicion. If I do my country no other service, I may at least be able to unmask

earing Westerham kept to himself. He said nothi

ous difficulties-into which he was afterwards plunged would have been fa

m then, and desiring to see a little of London before he proceeded to investigate the mysteries of Melun's life, Westerham told the urbane, if somewhat

could recommend were hard at work building innumerable suits for Mr. James Robinson, whos

on, Esq., of Bruton Street, plain Mr. Robinson, of Walter's Hotel, informed the proprietor th

d, and soft-spoken valet with whom Dunton had p

tence which he was able to follow when he wore c

on commonly known to the average sight-seer, but the London of the obscure Londoner,-the London of distant

mself one night at about the hour of ten wandering in

nd was far away on the soft prairie land that he seemed to have left years and years before. So occupied was

dstill, all his senses alive, his quick intuition telli

sterham could read a man's character as easily from his back as he could fr

doing her a service, and not with the remotest idea of eavesdropping,

s voice saying in low,

to adopt these methods. You know what you want, and you have practically the power o

ething which Wester

the girl utter

. Free us from this horrible nightmare, give me your word that

girl reached out her hands. The man took something from her. His hea

re they to us? You think they are worth a hundred thousand pounds, eh? Suppose they are-what of that? Do you thin

chuckled

t on, "and seeing you offer them to me, I

girl. "Then you

, "Silent, for this much! N

rl, quietly, with a quaver in her voice.

possible for you to make me. You would cry out, would you? What good would that do? Cry out, call a policeman-do what you

is point, for Westerham, always qui

ftly by the collar of his coat, kicked his heels from un

n lay

ure. With swift fingers he searched the man's clothing and foun

rising to his feet, he held a heavy

me to befriend you. I do

he frightened face that stared at him with start

r did Westerham meet