"Good-night, old man. Go to bed and sleep soundly, for I'm going. And, I say, don't bring me out again on a midnight ride like this unless there is very strong reason. Now, just a last word--and I say it in all seriousness--I am not a bit discouraged by what you have told me. Let them smell about, but they'll find nothing." He turned to the door, and fired a parting shot: "Now, you follow my advice not to give way to idle fancies, and you'll turn out as well as any of us. And we shall all be proud of you. Once again, good-night." As he spoke the last word, the telephone bell rang, and he paused, and turned round. Farloe looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. "Past three, by Jove! There's only one person would ring me up at this time of night. It's Maude. Perhaps it is important; you had better stay a moment," he said. Stent stayed. Farloe took off the receiver, and listened for a little time to the voice at the other end. Although Stent could not distinguish the words, now and then he caught an inflection that he recognised. Farloe's conjecture was right. It was Mrs Saxton who had rung him up. Then Stent heard the young man's reply. "Hold on a minute, he is here. He was just going when you rang." He beckoned to Stent. "She wanted me to send you word that she wished to meet you. You can arrange it with her yourself." They talked for a few seconds. At one of her remarks Stent laughed heartily. He turned to Farloe. "She is suggesting that we don't make it the Knightsbridge Tube Station." Then he turned again to the instrument. "That was a capital move of yours; your brother has just been telling me about it. Really, I think just now it might be as convenient a place as any; they would never think you would have the cheek to go there again so soon. Let us meet at the old spot. That's safe enough. To-morrow then. All right. Good-bye." CHAPTER TWELVE. THE OCCUPIER OF FOREST VIEW. When Mason, Detective-Sergeant, C.I.D., with crestfallen air narrated the history of his adventures with the elusive Mrs Saxton, he had expected his chief to indulge in a few sarcastic comments. But Smeaton only shrugged his shoulders expressively. After all, he had come off only second best in his encounter with her himself. "A very clever woman, Mason," he said, after some hesitation. "I found that out at the start. It means she has made a bolt of it. It will be some time before Hyde Park Mansions sees her again." He was right. Three days elapsed, and the fugitive did not return. On the fourth, Mason, acting in accordance with instructions, went boldly up to the flat and rang the bell. The neat-looking maid told him that her mistress had gone abroad. Mason affected to be very much put out. "Dear me, it's very annoying. I wanted to see her on most urgent business. Can you oblige me with her address?"