Part 67

"Yes, m'sieur," he said, turning again to me. "Henri believes it is the same gentleman whom you describe."

"Who is he?" asked Rivero, much puzzled.

"Wait--and you will see," I replied, laughing, for we now seemed to be within an ace of success.

Just before midday we watched the arrival of the train from Montauban, and from it there descended the man we expected--the notorious Despujol. Though his features were unmistakable he was made up to look much older, his hair being made grey above the ears.

At his side there walked a man whom I instantly recognized, and sight of him, I must confess, caused me to hold my breath.

It was the sinister-faced Italian, Doctor Moroni.

We drew back, and hastening to a taxi, returned at once to our hotel, from the door of which we could see the entrance to the Luxembourg, where a few moments later we saw both the travellers enter.

What further devil's work was now in progress?

We watched the hotel in patience, until just before three o'clock the trio came forth laughing airily.

"Why, look!" gasped Rivero. "Despujol is with your great English financier, Señor De Gex!"

I smiled triumphantly.

"I told you that I had a surprise in store for you," I exclaimed.

"But if Despujol is with him it must be with some evil intent!"

"That is certain!"

"While Señor De Gex was in Madrid we had orders to afford him police protection," Rivero said. "Possibly he suspected that some attempt might be made upon him. Certainly he has no idea of that man's true identity."

"Yes, he has, for he has come here specially to meet him in secret. But why that Italian should be here I can only surmise. He is a doctor from Florence, named Moroni--a man of very evil repute."

"But why should Señor De Gex meet such people in secret?" asked Rivero, much astonished.

"I suppose there is some strong motive why they should meet--the more so, now that I have proved to you that the notorious Despujol is a hireling of this wealthy man De Gex."

"A hireling!" he gasped. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that De Gex hired Despujol to make that attempt upon my life, and I have a suspicion--one not yet entirely verified--that Moroni prepared that deadly orosin by the agency of which it was hoped that I should meet with my death."

"Do you really suggest that De Gex, one of the best-known and most philanthropic men in Europe, actually hired Despujol to go to your room that night?" my companion asked, his eyes following the trio as they walked together and chatted beneath the trees of the Avenue Feuchères.

"I do. And further, De Gex has every motive in closing my lips."

"Ah! Then you hold some secret of his, perhaps?" asked Rivero, a new interest being instantly aroused.

"I do--one that I intend to expose when I obtain sufficient corroborative evidence," I answered with determination. "But is not the fact of the three men meeting here in secret under assumed names sufficient proof to you that some fresh plot is afoot?"

"Certainly it is," Rivero agreed. "But I wish you would reveal to me the whole facts."

"It is unnecessary," was my reply. "You are here only to deal with Despujol. I promised I would bring you to him--and I have done so. Instead of living in obscurity in a high-up frontier village in the Pyrenees, as you in Madrid believed, I have shown you that he lives in Montauban, where he passes as an industrious commercial traveller. If you search that house in the Rue de Lalande you might find a quantity of stolen property."

"As a matter of fact, it has already been searched by the police of Montauban at my request," he replied. "The raid was made last night after Charles Rabel had left. I received a telegram from the Commissary of Police only an hour ago to the effect that six heavy cases of 'travellers' samples' had been opened, and in them was found a great quantity of stolen jewellery, negotiable securities, and other objects of value, including two valuable paintings which were missing from the Prado Museum three years ago."

"Then my information has been of some little use to you--eh?"