Edward Henry said not a word. He was too deeply moved by his own triumph to be able to speak. "Who else but me," he reflected, exultant, "could have managed this affair as I've managed it? Did anyone else ever take Sir John Pilgrim up into the sky like a load of bricks, and frighten his life out of him?" As the cage approached the platforms of the first story he saw two people waiting there; one he recognized as the faithful, harmless Marrier; the other was a woman. "Someone here wants you urgently, Mr. Machin!" cried Marrier. "By Jove!" exclaimed Alloyd under his breath. "What a beautiful figure! No girl as attractive as that ever wanted _me_ urgently! Some folks do have luck!" The woman had moved a little away when the cage landed. Edward Henry followed her along the planking. It was Elsie April. "I thought you were ill in bed," he breathed, astounded. Her answering voice reached him, scarcely audible: "I'm only hoarse. My Cousin Rose has arrived to-night in secret at Tilbury by the _Minnetonka_." "The _Minnetonka_!" he muttered. Staggering coincidence! Mystic heralding of misfortune! "I was sent for," the pale ghost of a delicate voice continued. "She's broken, ruined; no courage left. Awful fiasco in Chicago! She's hiding now at a little hotel in Soho. She absolutely declined to come to my hotel. I've done what I could for the moment. As I was driving by here just now I saw the rocket and I thought of you. I thought you ought to know it. I thought it was my duty to tell you." She held her muff to her mouth. She seemed to be trembling. A heavy hand was laid on his shoulder. "Excuse me, sir," said a strong, rough voice, "are you the gent that fired off the rocket? It's against the law to do that kind o' thing here, and you ought to know it. I shall have to trouble you--" It was a policeman of the C Division. Sir John was disappearing, with his stealthy and conspiratorial air, down the staircase. CHAPTER VIII DEALING WITH ELSIE I The headquarters of the Azure Society were situate in Marloes Road--for no other reason than that it happened so. Though certain famous people inhabit Marloes Road, no street could well be less fashionable than this thoroughfare, which is very arid and very long, and a very long way off the centre of the universe. "The Azure Society, you know!" Edward Henry added, when he had given the exact address to the chauffeur of the taxi.