"Thank you," he replied simply. "I certainly took every precaution that suggested itself to me. Subsequently I was the victim of circumstances. The French-speaking Turk, as I have told you, took no part whatever in the negotiations, and when he became aware of the _modus operandi_ determined upon----" "By the way," said Brett, "how did he become aware of it?" "Oh, Mehemet Ali told him in French." "Didn't that strike you as curious?" "Most certainly it did. But the scoundrel explained it afterwards by telling me that although a Turkish subject, he had lived in Algiers and France since he was a child, and had quite forgotten his mother tongue. But he was employed in a confidential position in the Turkish Embassy at Paris, owing not only to family influence, but to his intimate acquaintance with the French language." "Ah!" said Brett, "Monsieur Henri Dubois has a ready wit." "What!" cried Edith, who naturally enough was following each word with the utmost interest, "do you already know his name?" "Not only his name," replied Brett, "but his identity, Miss Talbot. You shall see him in another skin and without the sword-cut. It is possible, however, that before we meet, this distinguishing mark may be replaced by a fractured skull or a bullet wound." Fairholme suddenly clenched his right fist and examined his knuckles, his unconscious action causing the others to laugh. "Is he a Frenchman, then?" said Talbot. "Unquestionably--a most modern product." "And his name is Dubois?" "Yes." "All right. In future I will allude to him by his proper title. Well, Monsieur Dubois strolled towards me with the easy confidence of a man who was sure of himself. "'This affair bores me,' he said. 'I see no reason why I, who am in no way concerned with the Sultan's collection of precious stones, should sit up all night keeping guard over them with these very earnest gentlemen here. I am going to my hotel. I have sent my portmanteau to the Carlton. Will you honour me by driving there and telling me something about your wonderful London as we go?' "The man looked at me with a meaning in his eyes that conveyed quite plainly the intimation-- "'We can talk quietly in the cab, and I can explain much that is at present hidden.' Unfortunately I fell in with his suggestions. "We crossed the dining-room together. We were searched by the police in the hall, much to his apparent surprise, and then we drove off through St. George's Place. "He at once aroused my curiosity by telling me sensational details of a widespread plot to dethrone the Sultan. An essential part of the conspiracy was to obtain possession of the diamonds before they had been cut, as they were an heirloom from the Prophet, and it would be a terrible thing in the eyes of the more fanatical section of the Mohammedans if they were tampered with in any way. "This sounded reasonable enough, as the same story had been dinned in my ears for several weeks.