Jack had merely drawn a bow at a venture, but the shaft went home to the feather. By instinct he seemed to divine the fact that the stranger who knew so much of Anstruther's inner life might also know as much as the man called Nostalgo, otherwise Seymour. This instinct did not play Jack false, for he saw his companion stagger back as if he had been shot. He fell into a chair, and plucked feebly at the arms of it with his fingers.

"You are on dangerous ground indeed," he said hoarsely. "Have you a wife depending on you, or one you love? If so, turn your back upon me at once, and never see my face again."

It was a warning deep, thrilling, and impressive. But Jack merely shook his head and smiled. He had no intention of turning back now.

"I know too much or too little," he said. "Mr. Seymour is by way of being a friend of mine--in fact, I was the means of doing him a great service the other night. But I see from the expression of your face that you know all about that."

"Have you seen Seymour in the daylight, just as he is?" the stranger asked eagerly. "You know what I mean."

"I know what you mean perfectly well," Jack replied. "I have seen Seymour just as he is. To make another shot, I have also seen Lord Barmouth just as he is."

The stranger sat bolt upright in his chair, and regarded Jack with grim satisfaction.

"This is good news indeed," he said. "I am pleased to find out that I am betraying no secrets in my conversation with you. What I want you to do is this--I want you to arrange a meeting between Seymour and myself. It will be dangerous for me to leave the hotel at present, so that you must arrange it in a way that Seymour can come here."

"If you will be good enough to tell me your name," Jack suggested. "It is just possible----"

The stranger shook his head, and hoped that Jack would not deem him guilty of being discourteous if he withheld his name for the present. He took from a desk a small, curiously-designed ring, and passed it across to Jack.

"I think you will find that all that is necessary," he explained. "If you will take that ring and say that it came from the owner, I am quite sure that Seymour will be willing to fall in with my wishes. And now, I will bid you good-night, sir. It is good to know that we have a man of your courage and intelligence on our side."

So saying, the stranger rose to his feet, and extended his long, slim hand to Jack. He intimated that Jack might come and see him from time to time, but that caution would be absolutely necessary.

"Ask for Jabez Smith," he said. "That is the name under which I am known here. If you only knew how fortunate a thing it is that we have met to-night! But Lord Barmouth and Seymour will be able to prove that to you presently. Once more, good-night."

The door closed behind Jack; he heard the click of the lock, and found himself alone in the corridor. He could see that there were still many people smoking and chatting in the big lounge below. The great hall door was not yet closed, so that it was possible for Jack to slip into the street absolutely unnoticed. He felt restless and excited, and absolutely devoid of any desire to rest. Sleep in the circumstances would be out of the question. It was no use going home, there to toss and fret all night. It was just possible, too, that Rigby had not yet left the Planet office, as it was barely one o'clock. Anyway, a walk in the cool night air was bound to prove invigorating. It did not much matter, however, whether Masefield saw Rigby or not. He could tell him all this exciting history in the morning.

But Rigby was still in his office, waiting for a proof; after which he declared he meant to go to the Press Club for supper. It was an entertaining supper, for Jack's narrative was piquant enough, as he had so much to tell. "Well, you have had a night of it," Rigby said enviously. "Who are you that you should have all the luck like this? Here have I been all the evening, doing nothing to earn the approval of my proprietor, whilst you have been getting at the heart of the mystery. I shall have to divide my fee with you, Jack."

For a long time they discussed the matter in all its bearings. What seemed to interest Rigby more than anything else was the scheme proposed by Anstruther to get Carrington out of his serious position. He saw great possibilities now that the plan of the bank premises had come into the possession of the man Seymour, especially as the conspirators were unaware of this.

"We ought to be able to make a good thing out of this," he said thoughtfully. "Of course, it will all have to be worked out very carefully; but I should like to catch those fellows in the trap they have laid for others. After all, it makes no difference to you how Anstruther is got out of the way, so long as he receives a good dose of penal servitude. That once being done, we shall be able to work quite openly, and it is evident that your new friend Seymour can expound the whole of the Nostalgo business. I shall get my special article for the Planet,after all; but it will be more thanks to you than to my own efforts."

"Well, you needn't tell Van Jens that," Jack laughed. "Give me the outline of your scheme."

"I want to force Carrington's hand. I want him to understand how desperate his situation is, so that he and Anstruther must take action at once. Now, for instance, you tell me you heard Carrington say to-night that his bank has a great amount of jewelry in its keeping. Is that so?"

"They had it in their keeping," Jack said, drily.

"Well, that is exactly what I mean," Rigby responded. "And Carrington is in mortal terror lest some great lady should come along at any moment and demand her gems. You will remember telling me that Carrington was especially apprehensive over the great masked ball which is coming off at Lady Barmouth's in two days' time. Do you happen to know any of the titled women who are asked? If you could get one of them to go round to Carrington's to-morrow and ask for her gems, why----"

"I see exactly what you mean," Jack cried eagerly. "We should force the hands of those two scoundrels, and compel them to do something without delay. By so doing, also, we should upset the delicate schemes of Anstr............