There was a moment's silence. Wrayson had turned involuntarily towards the château, and Duncan had followed suit. They both looked up the broad green avenue to where the windows of the great building flashed back the sunlight. At the same moment their mutual action was realized by both of them. Wrayson first turned away and glanced round at the table which they had just quitted. The little man, who was still seated there, had lit a cigar and was talking to the waiter. He looked back again and moved his head thoughtfully in the direction of the château. "He asked questions about the château," Wrayson remarked. "Do you suppose that there can be anything going on there to interest him?" "You should know better than I," Duncan answered. "You received a visit this morning from one of the two ladies who are staying there." Wrayson turned a little pale. He looked at Duncan steadily for a moment. A giant in height, his features, too, were of a large and resolute type. His eyes were clear and truthful; his expression, notwithstanding a certain gloom which scarcely accorded with his years and apparent health, was unmistakably honest. Wrayson felt instinctively that he was to be trusted. "Look here," he said, "I should like to tell you the truth--as much of it as is necessary. I happen to know that the young lady with whom you saw me talking this morning, and who is a friend of the Baroness de Sturm's, is suspected in certain quarters of being implicated in a--criminal affair which took place recently in London. I myself, in a lesser degree, am also under suspicion. I came over here to warn her." Duncan was looking very grave indeed. "In a criminal affair," he repeated. "That is a little vague." "I am sorry," Wrayson answered, "but I cannot very well be more explicit. The matter is one in which a good many other people are concerned, and I might add that it is a hopeless mystery to me. All I know is that a crime was committed; that this young lady was present under suspicious circumstances; that I, in certain evidence I had to give, concealed the fact of her presence; and that now a third person turns up, who also knew of the young lady's presence, but who was not called upon to give evidence, who is working on his own account to clear up the whole affair. He happens to be a friend of mine, and he warned me frankly to clear out." "I am beginning to follow you," Duncan said thoughtfully. "Now what about Madame de Melbain?" "I know absolutely nothing of her," Wrayson answered. "I found out where the young lady was from the Baroness de Sturm, with whom she was living in London, and I came over to warn her." "The young lady was living with the Baroness de Sturm?" Duncan repeated. "Is she, then, an orphan?" "No!" Wrayson answered. "She is, for some reason--I do not know why--estranged from her family. Now the question arises, has this fellow here come over to track her down? Is he an English detective?"