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"You’re going toit like that," he said

"I’ … kind of nervous"

"I can see that Would it help if I held your hand?"

I shook s worse, you idiot! Quite apart from the fact that I’ eneral What’sat us like soroaned aloud Would I feel any better if I told hi just that for a moment, but I didn’t

At last we arrived outside the church When Gideon helpedhand, if not two of them, for thata sword How reckless of him!

Passersby looked at us curiously In the porch, Mr Whitman held the church door open for us "Hurry up, please," he said "We don’t want to attract attention" No, sure, there was nothing likely to attract attention in two black liht so that men in suits could carry the Lost Ark out of the trunk of one of the cars, over the sidewalk, and into the church Although fro it could have been a soose bumps

"I hope at least you remembered the pistol," I whispered to Gideon

"You have a funny idea of what goes on at a soirée," he said, in a nor the scarf around ? We don’t want yourin the middle of a hing at that idea, because just then"There won’t be anyone there who could call me except you," I pointed out

"And I don’t even know your nu?"

"It’s called a reticule," I said, shrugging and handing hi salts, handkerchief, perfume, powder … excellent," said Gideon "All just as it should be Coave h the church porch Mr Whito of my hand once ere inside the church, which was just as well, because otherwise I’d have panicked at the last moment and run away

In front of the altar, and under the skeptical gaze of the priest (in all his vestments, ready to conduct a church service), Falk de Villiers and Mr Marley were taking the chronograph out of the Lost Ar--Iaround to measure the space, said, "Eleven steps to the left from the fourth column and then you can’t uarantee that the church will be completely eanist likes to stay a little longer, and there are soation who stop to talk to me at the door on their way out, and I can’t very well--"

"Don’t worry," said Falk de Villiers The chronograph was now standing on the altar The afternoon sunlight colass church s made the jewels set in it look enoret rid of your flock" He looked at us "Are you two ready?"

Gideon finally let go of o first," he said The priest’s jaw dropped when he saw Gideon siht

"Gwyneth" As Falk took raph, he sain in exactly four hours’ tiht," Iinto ht, and I closed ered slightly, and so my shoulder to steady me "It’s all okay," Gideon whispered in le candle lit up the chancel, while the rest of the church lay in eerie darkness

"Soyez les bienvenus," said a hoarse voice out of that darkness, and although I’d been expecting it, I jued fronized the pale face of the count’s friend Rakoczy He re; there was no brightness in his black eyes, and in the diain

"Monsieur Rakoczy," said Gideon in French, bowing politely "I alad to see you You’ve already met my companion"

"Of course Made My pleasure" Rakoczy sketched a bow