"I shouldn't wonder if those two ran away together," said Lord
Crosland; and his cheerful face fell gloomy.
"They have the air," said Sir Tancred coolly.
"Look here, you ought to interfere, don't you know? You ought,
really," said Lord Crosland, who had fallen under the fascination of
Claire's fresh charm.
"Why don't _you_?" said Sir Tancred.
"Well," said Lord Crosland uncomfortably, "I did go to Sir Everard, and
tell him to keep an eye on Courtnay; and he as good as told me to go
to--Jericho."
"Just like Bumpkin," said Sir Tancred contemptuously. "I'll bet you a
fiver they bolt to-night--by the train _des decaves_."
"I don't want to bet about it," said Lord Crosland very gloomily.
Their talk made Tinker thoughtful. It would have been easy enough to
settle the matter by revealing Courtnay's injudicious display of
affection towards Madame de Belle-Ile, but that was not Tinker's way.
He had a passion for keeping things in his own hands, and a pretty eye
for dramatic possibilities. Besides, he had taken a great dislike to
Courtnay, and was eager to make his discomfiture signal.
At half-past four in the afternoon he knocked at the door of Madame de
Belle-Ile's suite of rooms, and her maid conducted so prominent a
figure in Monte Carlo society straight to her mistress.
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