"A stranger, M'sieu," repeated Jean Marie curtly. "He came at midday. . . ."
"And you told us nothing about him?"
"I did not think it was necessary, nor that the stranger would trouble M'sieu le Comte. He asked for a clean room and a bed and said nothing about supper at the time. . . . He seemed very tired and gave me a couple of louis, just if as they were half livres."
"No doubt 'twas the stranger with whom Lieutenant Tellier had speech outside 'Le Gros Normand!'" suggested de Mortémar.
"Mayhap! mayhap!" rejoined Jean Marie thoughtfully. "I took him up a bowl of sack and half a cold capon, but what he wanted most was a large wash-tub and plenty of water . . . it seems he needed a bath!"
"Then he was English," commented Mortémar decisively.
But at these words, Gaston, who had been listening with half an ear to mine host's explanations, roused himself from his heavy torpor.
The stranger who had forestalled him and sent Le Monarque on her secret voyage to-day was English!
"Where is that stranger now?" he demanded peremptorily.