He rose from the table and never looked back.

His attitude seemed to say, "I am going to Africa; kindly get out of my way." At three minutes to nine--that is to say, in one hour and a half--Guy Oscard took his seat in the Plymouth express.

He had ascertained that a Madeira boat was timed to sail from Dartmouth at eight o'clock that evening.

He was preceded by a telegram to Lloyd's agent at Plymouth: "Have fastest craft available, steam up ready to put to sea to catch the Banyan African steamer four o'clock to-morrow morning.

Expense not to be considered." As the train crept out into the night, the butler of the gloomy house in Russell Square, who had finished the port, and was beginning to feel resigned, received a second shock.