At that moment Michael Dorn realised that he had something more than a professional interest in the girl he sought, and he was shocked at the discovery. He dropped Lizzy Smith in Charlotte Street, and, declining her invitation to come in, drove home, and, leaving his car in the courtyard of Hiles Mansions, he dragged himself wearily up to his room. He was sleeping on the top of his bed when the silent Wills came in with a telegram in his hand, and, struggling up, he tore open the cover and read the message. It had been handed in at Paris at eight o’clock and ran: Will you please inform me name of District Commissioner, Karrili, during period you were in Punjab. It was signed “Chesney Praye, Grand Hotel.” “An ‘I’m here’ enquiry,” said Michael, handing the telegram to Wills, “the idea being to establish the fact that he is in Paris at this moment. Get on the ’phone, Wills, to all the private hire aerodromes within a radius of a hundred miles of London, find out if anybody hired a private machine in the early hours of the morning to take him to Paris. Report to me later.” Wills nodded and stole forth silently. “To try that stuff on me!” said Michael wrathfully, as the door closed upon his man. Chapter Twenty-four It was three o’clock in the afternoon when Lois Reddle woke from a heavy sleep, feeling ravenously hungry. She got off the bed, and, putting on her shoes, walked to the window. The prospect was a dreary one. She saw the farmyard into which she had driven that morning, and recognised the slatternly woman who was feeding the chickens as the janitress who had opened the door. Beyond the discoloured wall was the slope of a treeless down, and, by getting close to the pane and looking sideways, she could see no more than a further fold of the hills, surmounted by a black copse. She felt refreshed when she had bathed her face and hands, but the pangs of hunger had grown more poignant, and she went to the door and turned the handle. It did not budge; the door was locked. The window sash, she found, only opened a few inches, but it was sufficient to call to the woman in the yard, and presently she attracted her attention, for she waved her hand impatiently and went on feeding the chickens. Then, after a few minutes, she went out of the girl’s line of vision. It was some time before her heavy tread sounded on the stairs, and obviously the locked door was no accident, for, when the woman came in carrying a tray, the key was hanging from a chain fastened to her waist. “Please do not lock the door again,” said Lois, as she surveyed the very plain fare with some appreciation. “You get on with your eating and never mind about the door,” was the unexpected reply. Lois was left in no doubt as to the woman’s hostility and wisely did not continue the argument. Then, to her amazement, as the woman went out of the room she turned the key again. Lois ran to the door and hammered on the panels.