"In order that Hugh Henfrey may return to your side, and that hand in hand you may be able to defeat your enemies."
"My enemies! Who are they?" asked the girl.
"One day, very soon, they must reveal themselves. When they do, and you find yourself in difficulties, you have only to call upon me, and I will further a.s.sist you. Advertise in the _Times_ newspaper at any time for an appointment with "Silverado." Give me seven days, and I will keep it."
"But do tell me your name!" she urged, as they moved together from the pathway along the road in the direction of Perth. "I beg of you to do so."
"I have already begged a favour of you, Miss Rans...o...b.." he answered in a soft, refined voice. "I ask you not to press your question. Suffice it that I am your sincere friend."
"But when shall I see Hugh?" she cried, again halting. "I cannot bear this terrible suspense any longer--indeed I can"t! Can I go to him soon?"
"No!" cried a voice from the shadow of a bush close beside them as a dark alert figure sprang forth into the light. "It is needless. I am here, dearest!--_at last_!"
And next second she found herself clasped in her lover"s strong embrace, while the stranger, utterly taken aback, stood looking on, absolutely mystified.
FIFTEENTH CHAPTER
THE NAMELESS MAN
"Who is this gentleman, Dorise?" asked Hugh, when a moment later the girl and her companion had recovered from their surprise.
"I cannot introduce you," was her reply. "He refuses to give his name."
The tall man laughed, and said:
"I have already told you that my name is X."
Hugh regarded the stranger with distinct suspicion. It was curious that he should discover them together, yet he made but little comment.
"We were just speaking about you, Mr. Henfrey," the tall man went on. "I believed that you were still in Belgium."
"How did you know I was there?"
"Oh!--well, information concerning your hiding-place reached me," was his enigmatical reply. "I am, however, glad you have been able to return to England in safety. I was about to arrange a meeting between you. But I advise you to be most careful."
"You seem to know a good deal concerning me," Hugh remarked resentfully, looking at the stern, rather handsome face in the moonlight.
"This is the gentleman who sought me out in Nice, and first told me of your peril, Hugh. I recognize his voice, and have to thank him for a good deal," the girl declared.
"Really, Miss Rans...o...b.. I require no thanks," the polite stranger a.s.sured her. "If I have been able to render Mr. Henfrey a little service it has been a pleasure to me. And now that you are together again I will leave you."
"But who are you?" demanded Hugh, filled with curiosity.
"That matters not, now that you are back in England. Only I beseech of you to be very careful," said the tall man. Then he added: "There are pitfalls into which you may very easily fall--traps set by your enemies."
"Well, sir, I thank you sincerely for what you have done for Miss Rans...o...b..during my absence," said the young man, much mystified at finding Dorise strolling at that hour with a man of whose name even she was ignorant. "I know I have enemies, and I shall certainly heed your warning."
"Your enemies must not know you are in England. If they do, they will most certainly inform the police."
"I shall take care of that," was Hugh"s reply. "I shall be compelled to go into hiding again--but where, I do not know."
"Yes, you must certainly continue to lie low for a time," the man urged.
"I know how very dull it must have been for you through all those weeks.
But even that is better than the scandal of arrest and trial."
"Ah! I know of what you are accused, Hugh!" cried the girl. "And I also know you are innocent!"
"Mr. Henfrey is innocent," said the tall stranger. "But there must be no publicity, hence his only chance of safety lies in strict concealment."
"It is difficult to conceal oneself in England," replied Hugh.
The stranger laughed, as he slowly answered:
"There are certain places where no questions are asked--if you know where to look for them. But first, I am very interested to know how you got over here."
"I went to Ostend, and for twenty pounds induced a Belgian fisherman to put me ash.o.r.e at night near Caister, in Norfolk. I went to London at once, only to discover that Miss Rans...o...b..was at Blairglas--and here I am. But I a.s.sure you it was an adventurous crossing, for the weather was terrible--a gale blew nearly the whole time."
"You are here, it is true, Mr. Henfrey. But you mustn"t remain here,"
the stranger declared. "Though I refuse to give you my name, I will nevertheless try to render you further a.s.sistance. Go back to London by the next train you can get, and then call upon Mrs. Mason, who lives at a house called "Heathcote," in Abingdon Road, Kensington. She is a friend of mine, and I will advise her by telegram that she will have a visitor. Take apartments at her house, and remain there in strict seclusion. Will you remember the address--shall I write it down?"
"Thanks very much indeed," Hugh replied. "I shall remember it. Mrs.
Mason, "Heathcote," Abingdon Road, Kensington."
"That"s it. Get there as soon as ever you can," urged the stranger.
"Recollect that your enemies are still in active search of you."
Hugh looked his mysterious friend full in the face.
"Look here!" he said, in a firm, hard voice. "Are you known as Il Pa.s.sero?"
"Pardon me," answered the stranger. "I refuse to satisfy your curiosity as to who I may be. I am your friend--that is all that concerns you."
"But the famous Pa.s.sero--The Sparrow--is my unknown friend," he said, "and I have a suspicion that you and he are identical!"
"I have a motive in not disclosing my ident.i.ty," was the man"s reply in a curious tone. "Get to Mrs. Mason"s as quickly as you can. Perhaps one day soon we may meet again. Till then, I wish both of you the best of luck. _Au revoir_!"
And, raising his hat, he turned abruptly, and, leaving them, set off up the high road which led to Perth.
"But, listen, sir--one moment!" cried Hugh, as he turned away.
Nevertheless the stranger heeded not, and a few seconds later his figure was lost in the shadow of the high hedgerow.
"Well," said Hugh, a few moments later, "all this is most amazing. I feel certain that he is either the mysterious Sparrow himself, or one of his chief accomplices."
"The Sparrow? Who is he--dear?" asked Dorise, her hand upon her lover"s shoulder.