Page:Edgar Wallace - The Man who Knew.djvu/260

 She went crimson.

"It sounds thrilling," said Frank dryly.

She flashed round at him.

"You must n't be horrid about Jasper," she said quickly; "he never speaks about you unkindly."

"I don't see why he should," said Frank; "but let 's get off a subject which is—"

"Which is—what?" she challenged.

"Which is controversial," said Frank diplomatically.

She came down to the station to see him off. As he looked out of the window, waving his farwells, he thought he had never seen a more lovely being or one more desirable.

It was in the afternoon of that day which saw Frank Merrill speeding toward the Swiss frontier and Paris that Mr. Rex Holland strode into the Palace Hotel at Montreux and seated himself at a table in the restaurant. The hour was late and the room was almost deserted. Giovanni, the head waiter, recognized him and came hurriedly across the room.