it! Each has no doubt been
treated with orosin!" I said. "Had I washed my hands with it as a
trial, they would have become scratched and infected with the deadly
poison before I was aware of it."

"Sanz has no doubt sent you that!" remarked Rivero instantly.

"Well, Hugh, it is certainly a providential escape that you discovered
in time this latest plot against you!" exclaimed Gabrielle. "Really
the craft and cunning of De Gex is without limit."

"But I think, Miss Tennison, that you need have nothing further to
fear from him," said the Superintendent with satisfaction. "He has no
doubt, very powerful friends, and if the evidence were not so damning
and direct as that collected after so much patience and perseverance
by Mr. Garfield, he might perhaps wriggle out of it. But once we have
him he can hope for no escape," he added. "And we shall arrest him
before an hour is out. Fortunately he is still quite unsuspicious,
though his chief fear is of Mr. Garfield, and of the ugly revelations
which either Moroni or Sanz could make. Nevertheless we shall see!"

CONCLUSION

Just after noon I accompanied Superintendent Fletcher and Senor Rivero
with three detectives from Scotland Yard to the little hotel at
Notting Hill Gate, where Mateo Sanz was then staying, for he had twice
changed his abode within the past week. Rivero saw the proprietor, and
giving his name as Sanchez Orozco, a well-known criminal and friend of
his, asked to see his visitor who we knew had taken the name of
Nardiz, and represented himself as an agent of a firm of Spanish wine
exporters.

Mention of the name of Orozco at once brought the much-sought-after
bandit downstairs, and as he entered the little sitting-room Rivero
covered him instantly with his automatic pistol, shouting to him
authoritatively in Spanish.

The notorious bandit staggered, so completely was he taken aback.

"You know me, Sanz!" exclaimed Rivero. "You are under arrest. Now tell
me who prepared that cake of soap which you sent to Mr. Garfield?"

The question was quite an unorthodox procedure in English justice. But
it was the Chief of the Spanish Detective Department who had arrested
a Spanish criminal.

"Find out," was the fellow's defiant retort.

"It was Oswald De Gex," said Rivero. "You won't deny that! You may as
well tell the truth, and things may go better with you. He was
Despujol's friend, as well as yours--was he not?"

"Yes," the dark-faced man admitted