Inquiries promptly made had resulted in the following information:--The “Merry Maid” had discharged her cargo of Government stores, and had proceeded to Sicily, leaving behind a gentleman who had come out from England as a passenger. This gentleman’s name was Paul Torrens, and it was believed that he was now in Spain. Being aware of the facility offered to criminals by the lack of an extradition treaty between England and Spain, Mr. Cory was inclined to think the supposition correct, but felt reluctant to leave Malta without feeling sure that the man he was tracking had really left the island. Annie hardly knew what to think. At one time she was all anxiety to be gone, and the next moment she was oppressed by an uneasy feeling that to quit Malta at once would be to diverge from the trail. It will, therefore, be readily supposed that their thoughts refused to concentrate themselves on the topics of conversation current in Mrs. Colbrook’s drawing-room. Annie, at last, considering that she had done enough homage to conventionality, rose to leave, asking Mrs. Colbrook to excuse her, as she really did not feel equal to remaining inactive. “You won’t be offended if I leave you now?” she pleaded in a low voice. “I seem to be wasting my time unless I am making some progress in Harley’s cause, and I am sure my father, for my sake, is just as eager for progress as I am.” “To be sure, dear child,” said Mrs. Colbrook caressingly. “I can quite enter into your feelings, and would rather help you than hinder you. So don’t consider me at all, but go at once if you really feel that you can employ your time to more purpose.” Mr. Cory was just as anxious to forego the pleasures of polite society as Annie was, so the pair took their leave unobtrusively, and walked towards their hotel. Oddly enough, however, their thoughts now reverted to a conversation to which they had but listened inattentively awhile ago. “I suppose the Colbrooks and some of their afternoon callers will be going to see this balloon ascent they were talking of,” said Mr. Cory, after walking some distance in apparent deep contemplation of a more serious subject. “Really father,” was Annie’s rejoinder, “I should have been surprised to hear you talking about balloons and kindred subjects just now, were it not that something else surprises me still more. While Captain Drummond was talking so enthusiastically about this wonderful aeronaut, I did not feel the slightest interest in the subject. In fact, I didn’t consciously listen to the conversation. And yet, when you spoke just now, I was actually feeling a desire to witness the forthcoming ascent. I am not quite sure that there isn’t something uncanny about it, for I have often had opportunities of witnessing similar displays, and haven’t cared to go to them. To-day, when it would seem to be sheer waste of time, I feel irresistibly impelled to go and watch the performance of this much-talked-of balloonist. An absurd fancy, isn’t it?”