nd nothing on the girl. She simply brought together two facts that
belong together. Why she did it doesn't matter; she did it, and my reason
did the rest. There is a connection between this Rio Janeiro offer and my
discharge from the force. I know it. I'll show you other links in the
chain. Three times in the past two years I have received offers of business
positions away from Paris, tempting offers. Notice that--_business
positions away from Paris!_ Some one has extraordinary reasons for wanting
me out of this city and _out of detective work_."

"And you think this 'some one' was responsible for your discharge from the
force?"

"I tell you I know it. M. Giroux, the chief at that time, was distressed at
the order, he told me so himself; he said it came from _higher up_."

The commissary raised incredulous eyebrows. "You mean that Paris has a
criminal able to overrule the wishes of a chief of police?"

"Is that harder than to influence the Brazilian Government? Do you think
Rio Janeiro offered me a hundred thousand francs a year just for my
beautiful eyes?"

"You're a great detective."

"A great detective repudiated by his own city. That's another point: why
should the police department discharge me two years ago and recommend me
now to a foreign city? Don't you see the same hand behind it all?"

M. Pougeot stroked his gray mustache in puzzled meditation. "It's queer,"
he muttered; "but----"

In spite of himself the commissary was impressed.

After all, he had seen strange things in his life, and, better than anyone,
he had reason to respect the insight of this marvelous mind.

"Then the gist of it is," he resumed uneasily, "you think some great crime
is preparing?"

"Don't you?" asked Coquenil abruptly.

"Why--er--" hesitated the Other.

"Look at the facts again. Some one wants me off the detective force, out of
France. Why? There can be only one reason--because I have been successful
in unraveling intricate crimes, more successful than other men on the
force. Is that saying too much?"

The commissary replied impatiently: "It's conceded that you are the most
skillful detective in France; but you're off the force already. So why
should this person send you to Brazil?"

M. Paul thought a moment. "I've considered that. It is because this crime
will be of so startling and unusual a character that it _must_ attract my
attention if I am here. And if it attracts my attention as a great criminal
problem, it i