strange thing over in his mind. The more he dwelt upon it, the more wild
and dramatic did it seem.

"There is one thing in our favor," he said, presently. "The mysterious
cripple is evidently a deadly enemy of Fenwick's. We shall doubtless find
him ready to accept our offer, provided that we put it in the right way."

"I am not so sure of that," Venner replied. "At any rate, we can make no
move in that direction without thinking the whole thing out carefully and
thoroughly. Our crippled friend is evidently a fanatic in his way, and he
is not alone in his scheme. Do not forget that we have also the little
man who played the part of the waiter to deal with. I am sorry that I did
not notice him. A man who could carry off a thing like that with such
splendid audacity is certainly a force to be reckoned with."

Gurdon rose from his seat with a yawn, and intimated that it was time to
go to bed. It was long past twelve now and the hotel was gradually
retiring to rest. The Grand Empire was not the sort of house to cater to
the frivolous type of guest, and usually within an hour of the closing of
the theatres the whole of the vast building was wrapped in silence.

"I think I will go now," Gurdon said. "Come and lunch with me to-morrow,
and then you can tell me something about your own romance. What sort of a
night is it, waiter?"

"Very bad, sir," the waiter replied. "It's pouring in torrents. Shall I
call you a cab, sir?"