Cayley's presence there was rather a surprise, but I noted that his appearance did not correspond with the woman's description of the young man who had asked for a box of matches.
"I came as soon as I heard the news about Miss Wilkinson," Cayley said in explanation.
"How did you hear it?" Quarles asked.
"There was a paragraph in Le Gaulois. I left Paris at once and came to Sir Michael, thinking it a time when any little disagreement between us would be easily forgotten."
"You can quite understand that I agree with Mr. Cayley," Sir Michael said, "especially in the face of this letter."
"I can guess the contents of it," I said. "We have had letters too."
But I was mistaken. This communication was scrawled in the same printed letters, was signed in the same way, but its purport was entirely different.
"Sir,—Your niece is in our hands, and you may be sure that she is securely hidden. Every move you take on her behalf increases her danger. There is only one means of rescue—ransom. Within forty-eight hours you shall pay to the credit of James Franklin with the Credit Lyonnais, Paris, the sum of a quarter of a million sterling, a small sum when Wilkinson's wealth is considered, and the means he used to amass it. The moment the money is in our hands, and you may be sure we have left open no possibility of your tricking us, your niece shall be set at liberty. Delay or refuse, and your niece dies. In case you should deceive yourself and think this is not genuine, that we are powerless to carry out our threat, your niece herself has endorsed this letter."
Quarles looked at the endorsement.
"Is that Miss Wilkinson's signature?" he asked.