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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 t