"
Phyllis had lost all her pallor. She smiled delightfully upon him.
Madame la Marquise rose with a little impatient movement, and walked to
the further end of the room.
"How nice of you to come and tell me this," she exclaimed, "and what a
relief! I am sure I think he is very fortunate to have made such good
friends."
"Mademoiselle," he declared with emphasis, "one at least of those
friends is more than repaid."
She laughed back into his eyes, frankly amused by his gallantry.
"And now," she said, "we come to the beginning of the riddles. Why is it
necessary for him to be supposed drowned, if he is no longer in danger
from the police?"
"Ah, Mademoiselle," he said, "I must speak to you now of strange things.
But, first, I must implore you to promise me this, and remember it
always. Every word that I am going to say to you now must remain for the
present a profound secret. That is agreed?"
"Certainly!" she answered.
"Your brother," he continued, "in his travels on the Continent stumbled
by chance upon a State secret of international importance. He had
himself no idea of it, but a chance word which he let fall, on the first
evening I met him, gave the clue to myself and some friends.
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