Watch in hand, Berry touched the chief of the police upon the shoulder. "By now," he said, "I think my cousin may have reached Pau. If you would like to telephone...." He stopped suddenly to peer right and left into the darkness. The gentry had disappeared. * * * * * Ten minutes later, with a _gendarme_ on either step, we picked up an anxious Adèle. Then we filled up with petrol, had my makeshift connection replaced by a new wire, and started for home. As we passed the scene of our meeting with Herbert-- "Which goes to prove," said my brother-in-law, "the wisdom of catching at straws. I noticed his likeness to Herbert the moment we entered the room, and, for what it was worth, I kept my eye on him. Then a _gendarme_ came in and whispered. I caught the words '_votre frère_.' Laffargue shrugged his shoulders and glanced at the clock. It looked as if his brother was waiting for him to come off duty. I began to wonder whether the two were going to blow my ten francs. During one of the arguments I shot my bolt. I asked him to tell his twin-brother that the Count Blowfly was here and would be glad if he'd wait. He stared rather, but, after a little hesitation, he slipped out of the room. I think my heart stopped beating until he returned. When he looked at me and nodded, I could have screamed with delight...." For a kilometre or so we sat in silence. Then-- "It reminds me of poker on board ship," said I. "Our friend of the square jaw cuts in and, with the luck of an outsider, picks up four kings." "That's it," said Berry. "And we hold three aces." "Exactly," said I. "But four kings beat three aces," said Adèle. "You're forgetting Herbert," said I. "No, I'm not," said my wife. "Herbert's the Ace of Spades." "No, sweetheart," said Berry. "He's the joker." * * * * * It was early upon the following morning that a letter was brought by hand to our door. _DEAR MRS. PLEYDELL,_ _I'm afraid you must have thought all sorts of things about me after I'd gone yesterday, but I've just this moment had a telegram, and I'm so excited I can hardly write. I know my name now. You see, I used to be the Marquis Lecco. Then, when Father died, they said he'd never been the Duke at all, and so I had no name. But now it's all settled, and they've lost their case. And I can sign myself always,_ _Yours very sincerely, PADUA._ CHAPTER VI HOW BERRY RAN CONTRABAND GOODS, AND THE DUKE OF PADUA PLIGHTED JILL HIS TROTH That Jill was in love with the Duke of Padua was only less manifest than that the Duke of Padua was in love with Jill. Something, however, was wrong. So much our instinct reported. Our reason refused to believe it, and, with one consent, we pretended that all was well. For all that, there lay a shadow athwart the babies' path. Yet the sky was cloudless.... The thing was too hard for us.