I RATHER A GHASTLY PART 172 II PLAYING WITH FIRE 180 III MONSIEUR S'AMUSE 188 IV AT THE "DEAD RAT" 196 V THE AWAKENING 204 VI THE ECHO OF A CRIME 210 VII A COUNTRY WALK 218 VIII THE MISSING LETTY 227 IX FOILED! 235 X MYSTERIES IN MAYFAIR 244 XI THE WAY OF SALVATION 253 XII JEAN LE ROI 262 XIII THE KING OF THE APACHES 271 XIV BEHIND THE PALM TREES 281 XV THE ONLY WAY 289 XVI MAN TO MAN 296 XVII LORD AND LADY BOUNTIFUL 304 THE MISSIONER BOOK I CHAPTER I MISTRESS AND AGENT The lady of Thorpe was bored. These details as to leases and repairs were wearisome. The phrases and verbiage confused her. She felt obliged to take them in some measure for granted; to accept without question the calmly offered advice of the man who stood so respectfully at the right hand of her chair. "This agreement with Philip Crooks," he remarked, "is a somewhat important document. With your permission, madam, I will read it to you."