n to callers that the owner was away. I looked again. The
blinds were still down!

Next day being Sunday I watched, and though at four o'clock in the
afternoon De Gex came forth and strolled round to his club in St.
James's Street, the blinds were still drawn, it being evident that
the unscrupulous man who juggled with European dynasties was living
there in obscurity--and in pretence of absence.

Why?

My watchfulness was increased; my thoughts being ever upon the
avenging of the injury done to the sweet girl I so dearly loved--that
poor unfortunate creature whose brain had been destroyed by the
dastardly administration of that poison only known to students of
toxicology. In my waking hours I conjured up scenes of how mother and
daughter, living in that obscure pension in busy Lyons, went each day
to the Professor's house, and how the kindly old savant did his best
to restore her brain to its normal activity.

One hot day I had been to Reading on business for the firm, and on
arrival at Paddington I bought an evening paper and took it home to
Rivermead Mansions. As usual Harry and I had dinner together, and
after he had gone out to Richmond, I sat by the open window which
looked upon the towing-path beside the Thames, and with my pipe in my
mouth, scanned the day's news.

Of a sudden I came across a heading which attracted me, and read as
follows:

"The sudden death is announced, at his house outside
Amsterdam, of Baron Harte van Veltrup, the well-known Dutch
financier, who for some years was in active association with
the Spanish banker, the late Count de Chamartin. The Count
died recently in San Sebastian just after he, with van
Veltrup, had promoted a great railway scheme in Central
Spain. The circumstances of the Baron's death appear to be
somewhat mysterious, says our Amsterdam correspondent. Three
days ago the banker, who is a widower, went to The Hague,
where in a private room in an obscure hotel, he met a man on
business. The meeting was apparently in secret, for he told
his valet that he did not wish anyone to know of the
mysterious visitor for a certain financial reason. The man
remained with the Baron for nearly an hour, after which the
financier went home in his car to Amsterdam, his valet
driving. On the way the servant noticed that his master
seemed very perturbed, once or twice muttering threats
beneath his