ng officer, as he opened the missive.

It was simply a letter of introduction from Captain Passford, intended
to assure him of the identity of the French detective. Mr. Gilfleur
evidently prided himself on his knowledge of the English language, for
he certainly spoke it fluently and correctly, though with a little of
the accent of his native tongue.

"I am very happy to meet you, Mr. Gilfleur," said Christy in French, as
he extended his hand to the other, who promptly took it, and from that
moment seemed to lose all his embarrassment.

"I thank you, Mr. Passford, for this pleasant reception, for it is
possible that we may have a great deal of business together, and I hope
you have confidence in me."

"Unlimited confidence, sir, since my father heartily indorses you."

"I thank you, sir, and I am sure we shall be good friends, though I am
not a gentleman like you, Mr. Passford."

"You are my equal in every respect, for though my father is a very rich
man, I am not. But we are all equals in this country."

"I don't know about that," said the Frenchman, with a Parisian shrug of
the shoulders. "Your father has treated me very kindly, and I have heard
a great deal about his brave and accomplished son," said Mr. Gilfleur,
with a very deferential bow.

"Spare me!" pleaded Christy, with a deprecatory smile and a shake of the
head.

"You are very modest, Mr. Passford, and I will not offend you. I am not
to speak of our mission before the Chateaugay is out of sight of land,"
said the detective, looking into the eyes of the young man with a gaze
which seemed to reach the soul, for he was doubtless measuring the
quality and calibre of his associate in the mission, as he called it,
in which both were engaged. "I knew your father very well in Paris,"
he added, withdrawing his piercing gaze.

"Then you are the gentleman who found the stewardess of the Bellevite
when she ran away with a bag of French gold at Havre?" said Christy,
opening his eyes.

"I have the honor to be that person," replied Mr. Gilfleur, with one of
his graceful bows. "It was a difficult case, for the woman was
associated with one of the worst thieves of Paris, and it took me a
month to run them down."

"Though I was a small boy, I remember it very well, for I was on board
of the Bellevite at the time," replied Christy. "I know that he was very
enthusiastic in his praise of the wonderful skill of the person who
recovered the money and sent the two thi