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"I shall, no doubt, pass the ti in French
Then the old crone left them and returned with two cups of excellent cafe nero, that coffee which, roasted at ho after that long night drive
Hugh stood there without luggage, and with only about thirty pounds in his pocket
Suddenly the man who had driven him looked him curiously in the face, and said: "Ah! I know you are wondering what your lady friend in Monte Carlo will think Well, I can tell you this She already knows that you have escaped, and she had been told to write to you in secret at the Poste Restante at Brussels"
Hugh started
"Who has told her? Surely she knows nothing of the affair at the Villa Amette?"
"She will not be told that But she has been told that you are going to Brussels, and that in future your name is Monsieur Godfrey Brown"
"But why have all these elaborate arrangeh demanded, more than ever nonplussed
"It is useless to take one precaution unless the whole are taken," laughed the sphinx-like fellohose cheerful banter had so successfully passed the his coffee, he wished Hugh, "buon viaggio" and was about to depart, when Hugh said: "Look here Is it quite i this astounding affair? I know that so after my welfare But why? To whom am I indebted for all this? Who has warned Miss Ranscomb and told her of my alias and my journey to Brussels?"
"A friend of hers and of yourself," was the chauffeur's reply "No, please do not question nore," he added "I have done my best for you And nowPardon me--but you have ood people here will trust you"
"But what is this house?"
The hed Then he said: "Well, really it is a bolt-hole used by those ish to evade our very astute police If one confornora Ravecca and her husband, then one is quite safe and -place used by thieves A little later he knew that the ugly old woato of police, hence their house was never searched While the criminal was in those shabby rooms he was immune from arrest The place was, indeed, one of many hundreds scattered over Europe, asylums known to the international thief as places ever open so long as they can pay for their board and lodging and their contribution towards the police bribes