Anna the Adventuress

"I do not wish to seem unfeeling," Anna said, slowly, "but I can only

repeat that I am absolutely without concern in the matter. The man is

a stranger to me."

The official had no more to say. Only it was with a further and most

unbelieving shrug of the shoulders that he resumed his seat.

"You will be so good as to leave us your correct name and address,

mademoiselle," he said curtly.

"You have them both," Anna answered.

He opened the door for her with a faint disagreeable smile.

"It is possible, mademoiselle," he said, "that this affair is not yet

ended. It may bring us together again."

She passed out without reply. Yet she took with her an uneasy

consciousness that in this affair might lie the germs of future

trouble.

As she crossed the square, almost within a stone's throw of her

lodgings, she came face to face with Courtlaw. He stopped short with a

little exclamation of surprise.

"My dear friend," she laughed, "not so tragic, if you please."

He recovered himself.

"I was surprised, I admit," he said. "You did not tell me that you

were going out, or I would have offered my escort. Do you know how

late it is?"

She nodded.

"I heard the clock strike as I crossed the square," she answered. "I

was sent for to go to the Hospital St. Denis. But what are you doing

here?"

"Old Pere Runeval met me on your doorstep, and he would not let me go.

I have been sitting with him ever since. The Hospital St. Denis, did

you say? I hope that no one of our friends has met with an accident."

She shook her head.

"They wanted me to identify some one whom I had certainly never seen

before in my life, and to tell you the truth, they were positively

rude to me because I could not. Have you ever heard the name of Meysey

Hill?"

"Meysey Hill?" He repeated it after her, and she knew at once from his

tone and his quick glance into her face that the name possessed some

significance for him.

"Yes, I have heard of him, and I know him by sight," he admitted. "He

was a friend of your sister's, was he not?"

"I never heard her mention his name," she answered. "Still, of course,

it is possible. This man was apparently not sure whether he was Meysey

Hill or not."

"How long had he been in the hospital?" Courtlaw asked.

"Since last night."

"Then, whoever he may be, he is not Meysey Hill," Courtlaw said. "That

young man was giving a luncheon party to a dozen friends at the Cafe

de Paris to-day. I sat within a few feet of him. I feel almost

inclined to regret the fact."