empty；　and　he　got　attended　to　at　once。

〃I　want　to　go　to　Nice　next　week。　Will　you　give　me　particulars？〃

〃What　date；　sir？〃

〃The　14th。　What　is　the　best　train？〃

〃Well；　of　course；　the　best　train　is　what　they　call　'The　Blue　Train。'　You　avoid　the　tiresome　Customs　business　at　Calais。〃

Derek　nodded。　He　knew　all　this；　none　better。

〃The　14th；〃　murmured　the　clerk；　〃that　is　rather　soon。　The　Blue　Train　is　nearly　always　all　booked　up。〃

〃See　if　there　is　a　berth　left；〃　said　Derek。

〃If　there　is　not　…〃　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished　with　a　curious　smile　on　his　face。

The　clerk　disappeared　for　a　few　minutes；　and　presently　returned。　〃That　is　all　right；　sir；　still　three　berths　left。　I　will　book　you　one　of　them。　What　name？〃

〃Pavett；〃　said　Derek。　He　gave　the　address　of　his　rooms　in　Jermyn　Street。

The　clerk　nodded；　finished　writing　it　down；　wished　Derek　good　morning　politely；　and　turned　his　attention　to　the　next　client。

〃I　want　to　go　to　Nice　…　on　the　14th。　Isn't　there　a　train　called　the　Blue　Train？〃

Derek　looked　round　sharply。

Coincidence　…　a　strange　coincidence。　He　remembered　his　own　half…whimsical　words　to　Mirelle；　〃Portrait　of　a　lady　with　grey　eyes。　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　ever　see　her　again。〃　But　he　had　seen　her　again；　and；　what　was　more；　she　proposed　to　travel　to　the　Riviera　on　the　same　day　as　he　did。

Just　for　a　moment　a　shiver　passed　over　him；　in　some　ways　he　was　superstitious。　He　had　said；　half…laughingly；　that　this　woman　might　bring　him　bad　luck。　Suppose　…　suppose　that　should　prove　to　be　true。　From　the　doorway　he　looked　back　at　her　as　she　stood　talking　to　the　clerk。　For　once　his　memory　had　not　played　him　false。　A　lady　…　a　lady　in　every　sense　of　the　word。　Not　very　young；　not　singularl