To reach their table, the one concerning which Francis and his friend had been speculating, the new arrivals, piloted by Louis, had to pass within a few feet of the two men.

The woman, serene, coldly beautiful, dressed like a Frenchwoman in unrelieved black, with extraordinary attention to details, passed them by with a careless glance and subsided into the chair which Louis was holding.

Her companion, however, as he recognised Francis hesitated.

His expression of somewhat austere gloom was lightened.

A pleasant but tentative smile parted his lips.