ngely. His sallow face coloured
slightly, and his lips compressed. I had cornered him. A little
further firmness, and he would no doubt admit that we had met at
Stretton Street.

"Look here, Mr. Garfield," he said in a changed voice. "This is beyond
a joke. You now tell me that I presented you with five thousand
pounds."

"I do--and I repeat it."

"But why should I give you this sum?"

"Because I assisted you in the commission of a crime."

"That's a lie!" he declared vehemently. "Forgive me for saying so, but
I can only think that you are not quite in your right mind."

"I have not been in my right mind for a month or more--thanks to your
deep plotting," I retorted sharply. "Further, I am telling the
truth--as I shall later on tell it before a court of law. I intend to
solve the mystery of the death of Gabrielle Engledue."

"Well--I will not hinder you," he laughed grimly.

"You mean that you will not assist me?"

"I mean that I have no knowledge of any such person; nor have I any
knowledge of you," he said. "A perfect stranger, you come here,
present your card, and at once start a series of most serious
allegations against me, the chief of them being that I gave you five
thousand pounds for some assistance which you refuse to describe."

"If I tell you, you will only deny it, Mr. De Gex," I exclaimed
bitterly. "So what is the use?"

"None. In fact I don't see that any object is to be gained in
prolonging this interview," was his quick retort. "If, as you say, I
gave you five thousand--which I certainly never did--then what more
can you want? I however, suspect that the five thousand exists only in
your own imagination."

"But I have the sum intact--in a drawer at my home in London."

"It would be of interest to see it. Are they the same notes which you
say I gave you?"

"The same," I answered, and then I went on to tell him how I had
awakened to find myself in St. Malo, and how the French police had
taken possession of the money found upon me.

"Ah!" he exclaimed at last. "It all seems quite clear now. You've had
a bad illness, my dear fellow! Your brain has become unbalanced, and
you are now subject to hallucinations. I regret my hard words, Mr.
Garfield," he added in a kindly tone. "I also regret that your mental
state is what it is."

"I desire no sympathy!" I protested, raising my voice angrily. "All I
want to know is the truth."

"I have already told you that, as far as I am personally conc