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In each one of these cases, Monsieur Ruff, although not a soul has a suspicion of it, the removal of these men was arranged for by the' Double-Four." "I trust," Peter Ruff said, "that it may never be my ill-fortune to incur the displeasure of so marvelous an association."
"Steward," he directed, "bring me a glass of vermouth and some dominoes." Peter's eyes were suddenly bright. Sogrange touched his foot under the table and whispered a word of warning. The dominoes were brought. The new-comer arranged them as though for a game. Then he calmly withdrew the double-four and laid it before Sogrange.
We of the 'Double-Four' have no headquarters save the drawing-room of Madame; no hiding-places whatsoever; no meeting-places save the fashionable cafes or our own reception rooms. The police follow us what can they discover? nothing! What is there to discover? nothing! Our lives are lived before the eyes of all Paris. There is never any suspicion of mystery about any of our movements.
He was being invited, without the option of refusal, to enter upon some risky undertaking which would yield him neither fee nor reward. Yet his common sense told him that it was part of the game. In Paris, he had looked upon his admittance into the order of the "Double-Four" as one of the stepping-stones to success in his career.
Besides, I think he recognizes that Monsieur Guillot is rather a hard nut for the ordinary English detective to crack." "And you?" she demanded, breathlessly. "I join forces with Dory," Peter admitted. "Sogrange agrees with me. Guillot was associated with the Double-Four too long for us to have him make scandalous history either here or in Paris." "You have seen him?"
"The cafe," she answered, "is called the Hotel de Flandres. You enter the restaurant and you walk to the desk. There you find always Monsieur Antoine. You say to him simply 'The Double-Four! He will answer that he understands, and he will conduct you at once to Lemaitre." Ruff nodded.
Breakfast was served early, as there was to be big day's shoot. The Marquis de Sogrange and Peter Ruff smoked their cigarettes together afterwards in the great hall. Then it was that Peter Ruff took the plunge. "Marquis," he said, "I should like to know exactly how I stand with you the 'Double-Four, that is to say supposing I range myself for an hour or so on the side of the law?"
"From the Double-Four," he answered, "no resignation is recognized save death. I did what I could and they accepted my explanations, gracefully and without comment. Now that the time has come, however, when they think they need my help, you see they do not hesitate to claim it." "You will not go, Peter? You will not think of going?" she begged.
For more than six months the government has been trying to discover the source of this stream of vile socialistic literature which has contaminated the French working classes. The pamphlets have been distributed with devilish ingenuity among all national operatives, the army and the navy. The government has failed. The Double-Four has succeeded." "You have really discovered their source?"
With his forefinger he merely tapped the two numerals. "The Double-Four!" she gasped. He looked around and nodded. The commissionaire was waiting. Peter took up his silk hat from under the seat. "If I am detained, dear," he whispered, "you'll make the best of it, won't you? The car will be here and Frederick will be looking out for you." "Of course," she answered, cheerfully.
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