AN ECCENTRIC CHASE. 243 



seemed to be the best, so I determined to dine comfort- 

 ably, and go to the play for an hour or two, trying to 

 forget Leonard and Muffin Boy and my ;^ 500. 



Next morning I set off on my new journey, and on the 

 afternoon of the following day we drew up at Nice, the 

 exquisite views seen from the window of the train, as 

 we followed the Mediterranean coast-line, almost com- 

 pensating for the trouble and annoyance. And now, 

 how to find Leonard ? The villa which his uncle, the 

 Earl of Horchester, had occupied during a former 

 winter was up at Cimiez I knew, so thither I drove. 

 No ! That villa was taken by an Italian family. Down 

 the hill again, and round to some score of the hotels 

 which are so plentiful. Neither Kraft nor Chauvain know 

 M. Leonard, and at the Hotels des Anglais, d'Angle- 

 terre, de France, de la Grand Bretagne, Mediterranee, 

 and the rest, I have no better luck. He is not at the 

 theatre, and I go to bed at last, tired and angry, 

 wondering whether he will turn up next day, and 

 trying to think that he is certain to take a stroll in 

 the Promenade des Anglais before breakfast. 



But he does not. I walk and drive all over the town 

 in vain, till at last, about half-past twelve, I meet little 

 Flutterton, a friend and member of the Smoking Room, 

 on the Promenade, 



" Hullo ! " he says ; " you here, too r " 



" Yes ; arrived yesterday," I reply, and before I can 

 begin my story he breaks in with, — 



"Just been seeing Leonard off; he turned up yesterday." 



R 2 



