ion of the New York bar," said Schmidt.

"Then," said the detective, "I must begin by telling you that Mr.
Clancy and I were in Morris Siegelman's saloon in East Broadway shortly
after midnight last night."

A curious click issued from the throat of that distinguished Hungarian
magnate, Count Ladislas Vassilan, and everyone present noticed it
except the chief of the Detective Bureau. He, it would appear, was
busy marshaling his thoughts.

"For all practical purposes, our inquiry began there," he continued.
"We intercepted a note written by a certain gentleman, and intended to
be conveyed to a Pole named Peter Balusky. He, and a Hungarian, Franz
Viviadi, together with a French chauffeur, whose real name is Lamotte,
but who has been passing recently as Anatole Labergerie, are now under
arrest. Mr. Curtis has recognized Lamotte as the driver of the
automobile out of which Mr. Hunter stepped to meet his death, and
Lamotte himself has confessed his share in the crime. The precise
connection of Balusky and Viviadi with it remains yet to be determined.
They undoubtedly visited the Central Hotel last night. They
undoubtedly were the paid agents of some person or persons interested
in preventing the marriage of Lady Hermione Grandison. They
undoubtedly received letters and wireless messages which seem to
implicate others, far removed from them in social position, in the
plot, or undertaking, that her ladyship's marriage should not take
place. As a lawyer, Mr. Schmidt, you will see that I cannot possibly
enter into full details, but I think I have said sufficient to prove my
main contention, which is, you will remember, that it will be
difficult, very difficult, to dissociate the two incidents--I mean the
marriage and the murder."

During quite an appreciable time there was no sound in the spacious
apartment other than the heavy breathing of Count Ladislas Vassilan.
He had openly and candidly abandoned all pretense. He was now nothing
more nor less than a burly, well-fed, well-dressed evil-doer quaking
with fear.

"Difficult, you say, Mr. Steingall?" repeated the lawyer, selecting, as
was his way, the word which supplied the key to a whole sentence.

"Very difficult," corrected the detective.

"But not impossible?"

"I would not care to hazard a reasoned opinion, but it seems to me
that, in certain conditions, the District Attorney might elect to
confine the inquiry to its main issues, which are, of course, the