natural inference that Madame la Duchesse； desiring to marry her
old admirer； Reginald Brott； first left me in America； and then；
since I followed her here； attempted to poison me
〃There is；〃 Passmore said； 〃a good deal of evidence to that effect。〃
〃Here；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； handing him Duson's letter； 〃is some
evidence to the contrary。〃
Passmore read the letter carefully。
〃You believe this；〃 he asked； 〃to be genuine？〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃I am sure of it！〃 he answered。
〃You recognise the handwriting？〃
〃Certainly！〃
〃And this came into your possession … how？〃
〃I found it on the table by Duson's side。〃
〃You intend to produce it at the inquest？〃
〃I think not；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
There was a short silence。 Passmore was revolving a certain matter
in his mind … thinking hard。 Mr。 Sabin was apparently trying to
make rings of the blue smoke from his cigarette。
〃Has it occurred to you；〃 Passmore asked； 〃to wonder for what reason
your wife visited these rooms on the morning of Duson's death？〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃I cannot say that it has。〃
〃She knew that you were not here；〃 Passmore continued。 〃She left
no message。 She came closely veiled and departed unrecognised。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃There were reasons；〃 he said； 〃for that。 But when you say that
she left no message you are mistaken。〃
Passmore nodded。
〃Go on；〃 he said。
Mr。 Sabin nodded towards a great vase of La France roses upon a
side table。
〃I found these here on my return；〃 he said； 〃and attached to them
the card which I believe is still there。 Go and look at it。〃
Passmore rose and bent over the fragrant blossoms。 The card still
remained； and on the back of it； in a delicate feminine handwriting：
〃For my husband；
〃with love from
〃Lucille。〃
Mr。 Passmore shrugged his shoulders。 He had not the vice of
obstinacy； and he knew when to abandon a theory。
〃I am corrected；〃 he said。 〃In any case； a mystery remains as well
worth solving。 Who are these people at whose instigation Duson was
to have murdered you … these people whom Duson feared so much that
suicide was his only alternative to obeying their behests？〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled faintly。
〃Ah； my dear Passmore；〃 he said； 〃you must not ask me that question。
I can only answer you in this way。 If you wish to make the biggest
sensation which has ever been created in the criminal world； to
render yourself immortal； and your fame imperishable … find out！ I
may not help you； I doubt whether you will find any to help you。 But
if you want excitement； the excitement of a dangerous chase after
a tremendous quarry； take your life in your hands； go in and win。
Passmore's withered little face lit up with a gleam of rare
excitement。
〃These are your enemies； sir；〃 he said。 〃They have attempted your
life once； they may do it again。 Assume the offensive yourself。
Give me a hint。〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃That I cannot do；〃 he said。 〃I have saved you from wasting your
time on a false scent。 I have given you something definite to work
upon。 Further than that I can do nothing。〃
Passmore looked his disappointment； but he knew Mr。 Sabin better
than to argue the matter。
〃You will not even produce that letter at the inquest？〃 he asked。
〃Not even that；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
Passmore rose to his feet。
〃You must remember；〃 he said； 〃that supposing any one else stumbles
upon the same trail as I have been pursuing； and suspicion is
afterwards directed towards madame； your not producing that letter
at the inquest will make it useless as evidence in her favour。〃
〃I have considered all these things；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃I shall
deposit the letter in a safe place。 But its use will never be
necessary。 You are the only man who might have forced me to produce
it； and you know the truth。〃
Passmore rose reluctantly。
〃I want you；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃to leave me not only your address；
but the means of finding you at any moment during the next
four…and…twenty hours。 I may have some important work for you。〃
The man smiled as he tore leaf from his pocketbook and a made a
few notes。
〃I shall be glad to take any commission from you； sir；〃 he said。
〃To tell you the truth； I scarcely thought that you would be content
to sit down and wait。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃I think；〃 he said； 〃that very shortly I can find you plenty to do。〃
CHAPTER XXXVII
Mr。 Sabin a few minutes afterwards ordered his carriage； and was
driven to Dorset House。 He asked for Lucille； but was shown at once
into the library； where the Duke was awaiting him。 Then Mr。 Sabin
knew that something had happened。
The Duke extended his hand solemnly。
〃My dear Souspennier；〃 he said； 〃I am glad to see you。 I was in
fact on the point of despatching a messenger to your hotel。〃
〃I am glad；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃that my visit is opportune。 To
tell you the truth； Duke； I am anxious to see my wife。〃
The Duke coughed。
〃I trust；〃 he said； 〃that you will not for a moment consider me
guilty of any discourtesy to the Countess； for whom I have a great
respect and liking。 But it has come to my knowledge that the
shelter of my roof and name were being given to proceedings of which
I heartily disapproved。 I therefore only a few hours ago formally
broke off all connection with Saxe Leinitzer and his friends； and to
put the matter plainly； I expelled them from the house。〃
〃I congratulate you heartily； Duke； upon a most sensible proceeding；〃
Mr。 Sabin said。 〃But in the meantime where is my wife？〃
〃Your wife was not present at the time；〃 the Duke answered； 〃and I
had not the slightest intention of including her in the remarks I
made。 Whether she understood this or not I cannot say； but I have
since been given to understand that she left with them。〃
〃How long ago？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃Several hours； I fear；〃 the Duke answered。 〃I should like；
Souspennier； to express to you my regrets that I was ever induced
to become connected in any way with proceedings which must have
caused you a great deal of pain。 I beg you to accept my apologies。
〃I do not blame you； Duke；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃My one desire now is
to wrest my wife away from this gang。 Can you tell me whether she
left alone or with any of them？〃
〃I will endeavour to ascertain；〃 the Duke said； ringing the bell。
But before the Duke's somewhat long…winded series of questions had
gone very far Mr。 Sabin grasped the fact that the servants had
been tampered with。 Without wasting any more time he took a
somewhat hurried leave and drove back to the hotel。 One of the
hall porters approached him； smiling。
〃There is a lady waiting for you in your rooms； sir；〃 he announced。
〃She arrived a few minutes ago。〃
Mr。 Sabin rang for the elevator； got out at his floor and walked
down the corridor； leaning a little more heavily than usual upon
his stick。 If indeed it were Lucille who had braved all and come
to him the way before them might still be smooth sailing。 He
would never let her go again。 He was sure of that。 They would
leave England … yes； there was time still to catch the five o'clock
train。 He turned the handle of his door and entered。 A familiar
figure rose from the depths of his easy…chair。 Her hat lay on the
table； her jacket was open； one of his cigarettes was between her
lips。 But it was not Lucille。
〃Lady Carey！〃 he said slowly。 〃This is an unexpected pleasure。
Have you brought Lucille with you？〃
〃I am afraid；〃 she answered； 〃that I have no ropes strong enough。〃
〃You insinuate；〃 he remarked； 〃that Lucille would be unwilling to
come。〃
〃There is no longer any need；〃 she declared； with a hard little
laugh； 〃for insinuations。 We have all been turned out from Dorset
House neck and crop。 Lucille has accepted the inevitable。 She has
gone to Reginald's Brott's rooms。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃Indeed。 I have just come from Dorset House myself。 The Duke has
supplied me with a highly entertaining account of his sudden
awakening。 The situation must have been humorous。〃
Her eyes twinkled。
〃it was really screamingly funny。 The Duke had on his house of
Lords manner； and we all sat round like a lot of naughty children。
If only you bad been there。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。 Suddenly she laid her hand upon his arm。
〃Victor；〃 she said； 〃I have come to prove that I am your friend。
You do not believe that Lucille is with Reginald Brott。 It is true！
Not only that； but she is leaving England with him to…night。 The
man's devotion is irresistible … he has been gaining on her slowly
but surely all the time。〃
〃I have noticed〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked calmly； 〃that he has been
wonderfully assiduous。 I am sure I congratulate him upon his
success； if he has succeeded。〃
〃You doubt my word of course；〃 she said。 〃But I have not come here
to tell you things。 I have come to prove them。 I presume that what
you see with your own eyes will be sufficient。〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃Certainly not；〃 he answered。 〃I make it a rule to believe nothing
that I see； and never to trust my ears。〃
She stamped her foot lightly upon the floor。
〃How impossible you are；〃 she exclaimed。 〃I can tell you by what
train Lucille and Reginald Brott will leave London to…night。 I can
tell you why Lucille is bound to go。〃
〃Now；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃you are beginning to get interesting。〃
〃Lucille must go … or run the risk of arrest for complicity in the
murder of Duson。〃
〃Are you serious？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked； with admirably assumed gravity。
〃Is it a jesting matter？〃 she answered fiercely。 〃Lucille bought
poison； the same poison which it will be proved that Duson died of。
She came here； she was the last person to enter your room before
Duson was found dead。 The police are even now searching for her。
Escape is her only chance。〃
〃Dear me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃Then it is not only for Brott's sake
that she is running away。〃
〃What does that matter？ She is going； and she is going with him。〃
〃And why；〃 he asked； 〃do you come to give me warning？ I have plenty
of time to interpose。〃
〃You can try if you will。 Lucille is in hidin