Turber led us back downstairs. He chatted pleasantly about the girl's case; he accompanied us to the door and smilingly bowed us out. "I shall hope to see you again, Tremont. Bring Nanette when you come next time, will you?" He said it sardonically. But more than that, for beneath his banter there was an intensity that made me shudder. And a pang of fear for Nanette swept me. We had left her home alone. Turber stood gazing after us as we drove away. I recall him, standing there on the steps of the porte-cochere; hunched forward; his gorilla figure so immaculately garbed, fingers toying with his black eyeglass ribbon, his mouth twisted with a faint sardonic smile. Sinister figure! Satanic! A very modern Mephistopheles, this fellow Turber. A genius--for evil; of that, at least, I was now convinced. We were silent on the way back in the taxi. My mind was on Nanette. It seemed suddenly that she must be in danger; my greatest desire was to get back as quickly as we could. We dismissed the taxi. At the ferryhouse I said abruptly: "Alan, let's telephone Nanette." "Why?" "I'm worried about her," I stammered. "Alan, that fellow Turber--" We called the apartment. She answered promptly. "You all right, Nanette?" I demanded. "Why, yes, of course, Edward. When will you be back? I've been worried about you." "We'll be there in an hour." I hung up. I felt unutterably relieved. We boarded the ferry. "What do you propose to do next?" I asked Alan. "Get our car--come back tonight." "With Nanette?" "Yes. I know how you feel. That fellow Turber--this weird thing--" "No time to leave Nanette alone. I wish she weren't there now." "We'll be there shortly. When we come back, you'll stay in the car with her," Alan directed. While he was meeting Charlie at the tennis court gate? I did not fancy so inactive a role. "It's best, Ed. Only one of us should go in. With both of us, the chance of being discovered would be greater. Besides, we daren't leave Nanette." "You think he'll let you in?" "Charlie? I think so. They're very cunning, fellows like that. He said he would hide me in his room." We discussed it. There was so much--and yet so little that was tangible--to discuss! But I realize now that Alan, with his greater knowledge of what all this might mean, had formed fairly definite plans. To discuss them with me then, was futile. He did not do it. * * * * * We got home to Nanette, and had supper. My own reticence matched Alan's when it came to going into details with Nanette. It would have led us far afield in fantastic, meaningless theory. But the girl was there, held virtually a prisoner; we wanted to release her. That we told Nanette, but nothing more. It was, indeed, as definite a plan as I could form myself. It was a hurried supper. Nanette had it ready for us when we came in.