"You may well say that," said Anne, bitterly. "'Woe to the vanquished' indeed. Come let us go to the house and see my mother, but you must say nothing to her about our conversation. She knows as much as is good for her, and her health will not stand any great shock." "In that case," observed Hersham, as they strolled up the path, "you must not let her see Fanks." "Trust me, Ted. Forewarned is forearmed." Mrs. Colmer was delighted to see Ted, for he was a great favourite with the invalid. She had no suspicion of what had brought him down in so unexpected a manner, and chatted to the young man in the most cheerful of spirits. Meanwhile Anne gave her lover a cup of tea, and cut him some sandwiches. All the time she was straining her ears to catch the fall of the knocker on the front door. Every moment she expected to bear the crash which would announce the arrival of the detective, and as the minutes went by her nerves became strained to their utmost pitch. Ted saw what she suffered, but in the presence of Mrs. Colmer he could say nothing, and the old lady went chattering on. There was something cruelly ironical about the situation. At last, Hersham could bear the suspense no longer, and making some excuse to Mrs. Colmer, he drew Anne out into the passage. There he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you afraid?" he said, anxiously. "Are you afraid of the coming interview with this man?" "Yes," said Anne, and shivered; the colour had left her cheeks, and she suddenly appeared older, and more haggard. "Why are you afraid? Because of your visit to those chambers?" "That and another thing." "Does the other thing concern yourself." "Yes. It concerns a visit to London on that night." "Heavens! Where did you go?" Before Anne could answer, a sharp knock came to the door, which drove all the blood into their hearts. They looked at one another, for they now felt that the danger was on them. What would happen within the next hour. "Where did you go on that night?" asked Hersham, hoarsely. "To Tooley's Alley--to the Red Star Hotel." "Anne, Anne. And you saw--" Anne nodded. "Yes," she said, steadily, "I saw." CHAPTER XVII. TWO AGAINST ONE. On arriving at Taxton-on-Thames Fanks had taken up his abode at the Royal Arms Hotel. It was his intention to make inquiries about Sir Louis Fellenger, Dr. Binjoy, and the negro servant of the latter. Ignorant that he had been thwarted by Hersham, he had also intended to interview Anne Colmer without loss of time, before she could see or even hear from her lover. The intercepted telegram proved conclusively that this girl knew something which Hersham did not want her to reveal; and in the absence--as Fanks supposed of all warning--he hoped to take her at a disadvantage. In this mood he took his way to her home.