United States or Falkland Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
I cannot allow her to travel alone. We leave by the express at six o'clock this evening," Mr. Lloyd said. "I am so very sorry to depart so suddenly, Mr. Hargreave. We were both enjoying our visit so much," he added apologetically. This surprised me until I returned to my hotel to luncheon, when Duperré, meeting me eagerly in the hall, asked: "Well, is the girl going?" "Yes," I said.
As I entered Room 88, three Frenchmen, who had ascended in the lift, followed me in. Madame was writing a letter, while Duperré was in the act of lighting a cigarette. We started in surprise, for next instant we all three found ourselves under arrest; the well-dressed strangers being officers of the Sûreté. One of them was the man in the white spats who had been attracted by Madame in the Bois.
I knew that the broken gold was safely at the bottom of the Seine, but where were the gems? It was all very well for Duperré to bluff, but they would, I felt convinced, eventually be found. The police, not content with searching the personal belongings of my friend, took up the floor-boards, and even stripped some paper from the wall and carefully examined every article of furniture.
She did not recognize me, or I concluded she did not, and naturally it was no business of mine to make any sign of recognition. I had been in my room, I suppose, about two hours when the telephone bell rang. "That Mr. Hargreave? The bureau speaking. Monsieur Duperré has come in and is coming up to you now." A minute later somebody knocked, and I called "Come in!"
From Duperré, who arrived three days after I had got to Overstow, I gathered that Rayne had suddenly been called away to the Continent on one of his swift visits, "on a little matter of business," added Vincent with a meaning grin. We were smoking together in the great old library, when I told him of my narrow escape on Clifton Bridge. "Yes," he said. "Benton is always trying to get at us.
Accordingly, on May 26th, 1830, a large fleet sailed out of Toulon. Admiral Duperré commanded, and the land-forces on board numbered thirty-seven thousand foot, besides cavalry and artillery.
Therefore, believing that the electric light had been inadvertently left on, I opened the door, when I had a great surprise. Rayne was seated in an arm-chair chatting with Madame Martoz, while on a settee near the window sat Madame Duperré. All three started up as I entered, but a word of apology instantly rose to my lips, and Rayne said: "That's all right, Hargreave.
I did not see Rudolph Rayne again for several days, but according to instructions I received from Madame Duperré, I went by train up to Yorkshire and awaited their arrival.
Madame passed into the next room and returned with a small Pekinese in her arms. "Lu Chang is quite quiet and harmless," laughed Duperré as his wife handed the dog to me. As my hands came in contact with the animal's fur I realized that it was dead and stuffed! Duperré laughed heartily as he watched my face. I confess that I was mystified.
Then, turning to me, he said: "You'll keep one door, Hargreave, and I'll keep the other, while Mr. Blumenfeld gives information." Thus we waited. But I was sorely puzzled as to the whereabouts of the stolen bonds. If Duperré had taken them, how had he got rid of them? That he had done so was quite plain by Rayne's open attitude.
Word Of The Day