the landlady met me on the verandah and asked if I had any news of my friend, I realised that a disappointment was in store for me. The excitement and worry were getting too much for me. What with Nikola, the spy, Beckenham, Phyllis, the unknown lover, and old Mr. Wetherell, I had more than enough to keep my brain occupied. I sat down on a chair on the verandah with a sigh and reviewed the whole case. Nine o'clock struck by the time my reverie was finished. Just as I did so a newspaper boy came down the street lustily crying his wares. To divert my mind from its unpleasant thoughts I called him up and bought an Evening Mercury. Having done so, I passed into my sitting-room to read it. The first, second, and third pages held nothing of much interest for me, but on the fourth was an item that was astonishing enough to make my hair stand on end. It was written in horrible journalese, and ran as follows:
RUMOURED IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENT IN HIGH LIFE.
We have it on the very best authority that an engagement will shortly be announced between a certain illustrious young noble man, now a visitor in our city, and the beautiful daughter of one of Sydney's most prominent politicians, who has lately returned from a visit to England. The Evening Mercury tenders the young couple their sincerest congratulations.
Could this be the solution of the whole mystery? Could it be that the engagement of Baxter, the telegram, the idea of travel, the dragging, the imprisonment in Port Said, the substitution of the false marquis, were all means to this end? Was it possible that this man who was masquerading as a man of title was to marry Phyllis (for there could be no possible doubt as to the persons to whom that paragraph referred)?
