The diners at the _Hotel Splendide_ were a little surprised to see the tall, distinguished-looking Englishman leave his seat and accost with quiet deference the elder of the two women, whose entrance a few minutes before had occasioned a good many not very flattering comments. The lady who called herself Blanche meant to make the most of her opportunity. "Fancy meeting you here," she remarked. "Flo, this is a friend of mine. Mrs. Harrigod! Gentleman's name doesn't matter, does it?" she added, laughing. Wrayson bowed, and murmured something inaudible. Blanche's friend regarded him with unconcealed and flattering approval. "Over here for a little flutter, I suppose?" she remarked. "It is so hot in town we had to get away somewhere. Are you alone with your friends?" "Quite alone," Wrayson answered. "We are only staying for a day or two." The lady nodded. "We shall stay for a week if we like it," she said. "If not, we shall go on to Dieppe. Did you get my letter?" "Letter!" Wrayson repeated. "No! Have you written to me?" She nodded. "I wrote to you a week ago." "I have been staying near here," Wrayson said, "and my letters have not been forwarded." He bent a little lower over the table. The perfume of violet scent was almost unbearable, but he did not flinch. "You had some news for me?" he asked eagerly. "Yes!" she answered. "I'm not going to tell you now. We are going to sit outside after dinner. You must come to us there. No good having smart friends unless you make use of them," she added, with a shrill little laugh. "I shall take some chairs and order coffee," Wrayson said. "In the meantime--?" "If you like to order us a bottle of champagne and tell the waiter to put it on your bill, we shan't be offended," Blanche declared. "We were just wondering whether we could run to it." "You must do me the honour of being my guests for dinner also," Wrayson declared, calling a waiter. "It was very good of you to remember to write." The friend murmured something about it being very kind of the gentleman. Blanche shrugged her shoulders. "Oh! I remember right enough," she said. "It wasn't that. But there, wait until I've told you about it. It's an odd story, and sometimes I wish I'd never had anything to do with it. I get a cold shiver every time I think of that old man who took me to dine at Luigi's. Outside in three-quarters of an hour, then!" "I will keep some chairs and order coffee," Wrayson said, turning away. "And bring one of your friends," Blanche added. "It won't do him any harm. We shan't bite him!" "I will bring them both," Wrayson promised. He went back to his own table and people watched him curiously. "I believe," he said quietly, as he sat down, "that if there is a person in the world who can put us on the track of those letters, it is the lady with whom I have just been talking." The Baron looked across at the two women with new interest. "What on earth have they got to do with it, Wrayson?" he asked.