It was a narrow failure, for Rupert, as his laugh told me, was in the house in the Konigstrasse when I set out from Strelsau, and Rischenheim arrived there at half past four.

He had taken the train at a roadside station, and thus easily outstripped Mr.Rassendyll, who, not daring to show his face, was forced to ride all the way and enter the city under cover of night.

But Rischenheim had not dared to send a warning, for he knew that we were in possession of the address and did not know what steps we might have taken to intercept messages.

Therefore he was obliged to carry the news himself; when he came his man was gone.

Indeed Rupert must have left the house almost immediately after I was safe away from the city.