Honore Bette followed quietly, a small unseen presnce in the shadows of the car. He had seen the attack on Penny Wainscoat and noticed that the stranger had not been interested in Dame Cricklebat's Stradivarius. He had also noticed the stranger's lingering gaze on the somnolent form of Carruthers.

As he slipped down the swaying corridor he stumbled against the lithe graceful form of Annette Marceau. she spoke to him but he couldn't understand a word. Finally he drawled, "Yaw'll havta 'scuze me ma'am"* and slipped past her. Damn! The stranger had disappeared.

*"Get the hell out of my way, tall Froggie!"