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〃When I cleaned out my cab at night； sir； I found this。 I didn't
reckon it was of any consequence at first； but from the questions
you have been asking it may be useful to you。〃
Mr。 Sabin took the half…sheet of note…paper in silence。 It was the
ordinary stationery of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel； and the following
words were written upon it in a faint delicate handwriting； but in
yellow pencil：…
〃Sept。 10th。
〃To LUCILLE； Duchesse de SOUSPENNIER。…
〃You will be at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the main corridor
at four o'clock this afternoon。〃
The thin paper shook in Mr。 Sabin's fingers。 There was no signature；
but he fancied that the handwriting was not wholly unfamiliar to him。
He looked slowly up towards the cabman。
〃I am much obliged to you；〃 he said。 〃This is of interest to me。〃
He stretched out his hand to the little wad of notes which Duson had
left upon the table； but the cabdriver backed away。
〃Beg pardon； sir；〃 he said。 〃You've given me plenty。 The letter's
of no value to me。 I came very near tearing it up； but for the
peculiar colour pencil it's written with。 Kinder took my fancy；
sir。〃
〃The letter is of value；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃It tells me much more
than I hoped to discover。 It is our good fortune。〃
The man accepted the little roll of bills and departed。 Mr。 Sabin
touched the bell。
〃Duson； what time is it？〃
〃Nearly midnight； sir！〃
〃I will go to bed！〃
〃Very good； sir！〃
〃Mix me a sleeping draught； Duson。 I need rest。 See that I am not
disturbed until ten o'clock to…morrow morning。
CHAPTER III
At precisely ten o'clock on the following morning Duson brought
chocolate； which he had prepared himself； and some dry toast to his
master's bedside。 Upon the tray was a single letter。 Mr。 Sabin
sat up in bed and tore open the envelope。 The following words were
written upon a sheet of the Holland House notepaper in the same
peculiar coloured crayon。
〃The first warning addressed to you yesterday was a friendly one。
Profit by it。 Go back to Lenox。 You are only exposing yourself to
danger and the person you seek to discomfort。 Wait there； and some
one shall come to you shortly who will explain what has happened；
and the necessity for it。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled； a slow contemplative smile。 He sipped his
chocolate and lit a cigarette。
〃Our friends； then；〃 he said softly； 〃do not care about pursuit and
inquiries。 It is ridiculous to suppose that their warning is given
out of any consideration to me。 Duson！〃
〃Yes； sir！〃
〃My bath。 I shall rise now。〃
Mr。 Sabin made his toilet with something of the same deliberation
which characterised all his movements。 Then he descended into the
hall； bought a newspaper； and from a convenient easy…chair kept a
close observation upon every one who passed to and fro for about
an hour。 Later on he ordered a carriage； and made several calls
down town。
At a few minutes past twelve he entered the bar of the Fifth Avenue
Hotel； and ordering a drink sat down at one of the small tables。
The room was full； but Mr。 Sabin's attention was directed solely to
one group of men who stood a short distance away before the counter
drinking champagne。 The central person of the group was a big man；
with an unusually large neck； a fat pale face； a brown moustache
tinged with grey； and a voice and laugh like a fog…horn。 It was he
apparently who was paying for the champagne； and he was clearly on
intimate terms with all the party。 Mr。 Sabin watched for his
opportunity； and then rising from his seat touched him on the
shoulder。
〃Mr。 Skinner； I believe？〃 he said quietly。
The big man looked down upon Mr。 Sabin with the sullen offensiveness
of the professional bully。
〃You've hit it first time；〃 he admitted。 〃Who are you； anyway？〃
Mr。 Sabin produced a card。
〃I called this morning；〃 he said； 〃upon the gentleman whose name you
will see there。 He directed me to you； and told me to come here。〃
The man tore the card into small pieces。
〃So long； boys；〃 he said； addressing his late companions。 〃See you
to…night。〃
They accepted his departure in silence； and one and all favoured
Mr。 Sabin with a stare of blatant curiosity。
〃I should be glad to speak with you；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃in a place
where we are likely to be neither disturbed nor overheard。〃
〃You come right across to my office；〃 was the prompt reply。 〃I
guess we can fix it up there。〃
Mr。 Sabin motioned to his coachman； and they crossed Broadway。 His
companion led him into a tall building； talking noisily all the
time about the pals whom he had just left。 An elevator transported
them to the twelfth floor in little more than as many seconds； and
Mr。 Skinner ushered his visitor into a somewhat bare…looking office；
smelling strongly of stale tobacco smoke。 Mr。 Skinner at once lit
a cigar； and seating himself before his desk； folded his arms and
leaned over towards Mr。 Sabin。
〃Smoke one？〃 he asked； pointing to the open box。
Mr。 Sabin declined。
〃Get right ahead then。〃
〃I am an Englishman；〃 Mr。 Sabin said slowly； 〃and consequently am
not altogether at home with your ways over here。 I have always
understood； however； that if you are in need of any special
information such as we should in England apply to the police for；
over here there is a quicker and more satisfactory method of
procedure。〃
〃You've come a long way round；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked； spitting
upon the floor； 〃but you're dead right。〃
〃I am in need of some information；〃 Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃and
accordingly I called this morning on Mr。 … 〃
Mr。 Skinner held up his hand。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃We don't mention names more than we can
help。 Call him the boss。〃
〃He assured me that the information I was in need of was easily to
be obtained； and gave me a card to you。〃
〃Go right on；〃 Mr。 Skinner said。 〃What is it？〃
〃On Friday last；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃at four o'clock； the Duchess of
Souspennier； whose picture I will presently show you； left the
Holland House Hotel for the New York； New Haven & Hartford Depot；
presumably for her home at Lenox； to which place her baggage had
already been checked。 On the way she ordered the cabman to set her
down at the Waldorf…Astoria Hotel； which he did at a few minutes
past four。 The Duchess has not returned home or been directly
heard from since。 I wish to ascertain her movements since she
arrived at the Waldorf。〃
〃Sounds dead easy；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked reassuringly。 〃Got the
picture？〃
Mr。 Sabin touched the spring of a small gold locket which he drew
from an inside waistcoat pocket； and disclosed a beautifully painted
miniature。 Mr。 Skinner's thick lips were pursed into a whistle。
He was on the point of making a remark when he chanced to glance
into Mr。 Sabin's face。 The remark remained unspoken。
He drew a sheet of note…paper towards him and made a few notes upon
it。
〃The Duchess many friends in New York？〃
〃At present none。 The few people whom she knows here are at Newport
or in Europe just now。〃
〃Any idea whom she went to the Waldorf to see？ More we know the
better。〃
Mr。 Sabin hand