"Out with them at once," said the friend.
"They are harmless if they are not true."

"Well, then, if I must, I must. You will not
be offended. The Line of the Heart is scarcely
perceptible: faithlessness, evil tendencies. The
Saturnian Line runs straight from the base of
the middle finger quite up to the wrist: chances
of imprisonment and other heavy tribulations.
The Mount of Mercury excessively developed:
adroitness, not always restrained by
scruples; skill in the arts of daily life, in
writing and caligraphy, for instance. I now
understand what prompted you to take tracings
of the signatures in the travellers' books at
sundry hotels."

"Ah, yes! I am completing a friend's
collection of autographs."

"This talent, combined with the evil influence
of the forked and crooked Line of the Head,
might tempt men less easy in their circumstances
to procure cash by means of forgery."

"But, sir, there is a limit to pleasantry———-"

"It is the book which speaks, not I. Here it
is all, chapter and verse."

At that moment the waitress of the hotel
entered, and presented Howard with a letter of
business-like aspect.

He opened and read it. For an instant he
seemed surprised, not to say stunned; but
recovered himself immediately.

"How unfortunate!" he exclaimed. "How
very mal à propos! I am obliged to leave your
delightful society."

"Not to-night, surely?"

"There is no help for it. My friend, Lord
Castellinthaire, sends word that he is suddenly
taken ill, and begs me to join him at Brienz as
soon as possible. The worst of it is, that not
only must I tear myself away, but I have left at
Thun, with the bulk of my baggage, all the cash
not required for this little excursion."

"That need not disturb you," said Mr. Greenwood.
"I can let you have something till we
meet again. How much will you like?"

"You are exceedingly kind. If we say ten
pounds———"

"That is not enough. You don't know when
you may get back to Thun. Take twenty; or,
we'll say five-and-twenty. I have my cheque-
book——-"

"No, no, my very dear sir: no cheque, I
thank you. I appreciate your kindness all the
same; indeed I do. Ten pounds will be quite
sufficient — quite."

"Yes; but my cheque-book! I had it a little
while ago. It was in the pocket of my paletot,
in the room where we washed our hands before
dinner."

"Perhaps," I hinted, " by an accidental
mistake, it has found its way into Mr. Percy Howard's
paletot, not being able, in the twilight, to
distinguish that gentleman's pocket from its own
usual resting-place."

"Your joke is a little too absurd," said Mr.
Greenwood, tickled at the notion nevertheless,
and handing with a smile a ten-pound note to
Mr. Howard.

"Very much obliged," said the recipient.
" But you, sir," to me, " do you mean to insult
me?"

"It is not an insult," I replied, "nor yet a
joke; but a serious suggestion. Do, if you
please, feel in your pockets, and try if you
cannot find it there."

"I shall do no such thing, sir," thundered
Howard, simulating virtuous indignation, and
working himself into a theatrical rage. " I am
used to be treated as a gentleman; and were it
not for the lady's presence——-"

"Softly!" I said. "The case is very simple.
Mr. Greenwood's cheque-book is missing. Oblige
us by helping us to find it. Search if it has not
wandered somewhere, quite by accident, of
course. You have his ten-pound note; I am
sure he has no wish to deprive you of it. But—
did you notice my guide this morning? — the
man who carried my knapsack up the Niesen?
He is an agent of the Swiss police. The man
who led Miss Greenwood's horse, and afterwards
went on before us, is another. They are hunting
up a little additional evidence against a person
about whom they already entertain grave
suspicions. They are in the house, within a
moment's call. Shall we ask for their assistance to
find the cheque-book?"

"Dear me! How very strange!" he ejaculated,
with well-acted, because unblushing surprise.
" Here it is! That I should not have felt it
before! It must have fallen from your coat upon
mine, and worked itself in, in the hurry of dressing.
I am truly sorry that such a trifle should
have caused us a moment's uneasiness. I am
uncommonly delighted to have found it."

"And so am I," I dryly rejoined. "But allow
me to hint that, however much we may regret to
lose your company, the climate of Switzerland
hardly agrees with you, and it might be prudent
to change an air which is too sharp for you. Mr.
and Miss Greenwood, as well as myself, would
be sorry to see you — confined — to your room."

"You are probably right," he replied,
unabashed." I shall probably follow your friendly
advice. The Alps do not quite suit me. It is a
lovely evening — bright moonlight — for a leisurely
stroll down the Niesen. I cannot miss the path.
I shall leave the horse here, to avoid waking up
the people at Wimmis; you can make use of it
yourself to-morrow. I want no guide. Those
men——- " he hesitatingly added.

"I think you can do without either of them.
They are probably supping below in the kitchen,
and you can leave by the front door of the hotel.
The Swiss authorities (who like things to go on
smoothly) had just as soon avoid any
unpleasantness which might have the effect of
alarming strangers. I think they would not be
displeased if you left their jurisdiction without
being detained by any untoward event — arrested,
for instance — by the severity of the weather."

"I am sure you are most considerate. By the