police have also telegraphed to your English police inquiring about the
owner, Signor Hornby, with a like result. There is no such place as
Woodcroft Park, in Somerset, and no member of Brook's Club of the name
of Hornby."

I sat staring at the official, too amazed to utter a word. Certainly
they had not allowed the grass to grow beneath their feet.

"Unfortunately the telegraphic replies from England are only to hand
this morning," he went on, "because just before two o'clock this morning
the harbor police, whom I specially ordered to watch the vessel, saw a
boat come to the wharf containing a man and woman. The pair were put
ashore, and walked away into the town, the woman seeming to walk with
considerable difficulty. The boat returned, and an hour after, to the
complete surprise of the two detectives, steam was suddenly got up and
the yacht turned and went straight out to sea."

"Leaving the man and the woman?"

"Leaving them, of course. They are probably still in the town. The
police are now searching for traces of them."

"But could not you have detained the vessel?" I suggested.

"Of course, had I but known I could have forbidden her departure. But as
her owner had presented himself at the Consulate, and was recognized as
a respectable person, I felt that I could not interfere without some
tangible information--and that, alas! has come too late. The vessel is
a swift one, and has already seven hours start of us. I've asked the
Admiral to send out a couple of torpedo-boats after her, but,