limousine. You know she has taken a dislike to it."

"Nevertheless, I'd better bucket on to Paris, and let you follow
slowly with Germaine. The sooner I get to Paris the better for your
collection. I'll take Mademoiselle Kritchnoff with me, and, if you
like, Irma, though the lighter I travel the sooner I shall get
there."

"No, I'll take Irma and Germaine," said the millionaire. "Germaine
would prefer to have Irma with her, in case you had an accident. She
wouldn't like to get to Paris and have to find a fresh maid."

The drawing-room door opened, and in came Germaine, followed by
Sonia and Irma. They wore motor-cloaks and hoods and veils. Sonia
and Irma were carrying hand-bags.

"I think it's extremely tiresome your dragging us off to Paris like
this in the middle of the night," said Germaine pettishly.

"Do you?" said the millionaire. "Well, then, you'll be interested to
hear that I've just seen a burglar here in this very room. I
frightened him, and he bolted through the window on to the terrace."

"He was greenish-pink, slightly tinged with yellow," said the Duke
softly.

"Greenish-pink? Oh, do stop your jesting, Jacques! Is this a time
for idiocy?" cried Germaine, in a tone of acute exasperation.

"It was the dim light which made your father see him in those