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Duson held up his hand。
〃I beg； sir；〃 he exclaimed； 〃that you will not suggest for a moment
my leaving your service on that account。 I beg most humbly； sir；
that you will not do me that injustice。〃
Mr。 Sabin paused。 His eyes； like lightning； read the other's face。
〃It is settled then； Duson；〃 he said。 〃Kindly pay this cabman； and
follow me as quickly as possible。〃
Mr。 Sabin passed across the marble hall； leaning heavily upon his
stick。 Yet for all his slow movements there was a new alertness
in his eyes and bearing。 He was once more taking keen note of
everybody and everything about him。 Only a few days ago she had
been here。
He claimed his rooms at the office； and handed the keys to Duson；
who by this time had rejoined him。 At the moment of turning away
he addressed an inquiry to the clerk behind the counter。
〃Can you tell me if the Duchess of Souspennier is staying here？〃
he inquired。
The young man glanced up。
〃Been here； I guess。 Left on Tuesday。〃
Mr。 Sabin turned away。 He did not speak again until Duson and he
were alone in the sitting…room。 Then he drew out a five dollar bill。
〃Duson；〃 he said； 〃take this to the head luggage porter。 Tell him
to bring his departure book up here at once； and there is another
waiting for him。 You understand？〃
〃Certainly； sir！〃
Mr。 Sabin turned to enter his bed…chamber。 His attention was
attracted； however； by a letter lying flat upon the table。 He took
it up。 It was addressed to Mr。 Sabin。
〃This is very clever；〃 he mused； hesitating for a moment before
opening it。 〃I wired for rooms only a few hours ago … and I find
a letter。 It is the commencement。〃
He tore open the envelope； and drew out a single half…sheet of
note…paper。 Across it was scrawled a single sentence only。
〃Go back to Lenox。〃
There was no signature； nor any date。 The only noticeable thing
about this brief communication was that it was written in yellow
pencil of a peculiar shade。 Mr。 Sabin's eyes glittered as he read。
〃The yellow crayon！〃 he muttered。
Duson knocked softly at the door。 Mr。 Sabin thrust the letter and
envelope into his breast coat pocket。
CHAPTER II
This is the luggage porter； sir；〃 Duson announced。 〃He is prepared
to answer any questions。〃
The man took out his book。 Mr。 Sabin； who was sitting in an
easy…chair； turned sideways towards him。
〃The Duchess of Souspennier was staying here last week；〃 he said。
〃She left； I believe； on Thursday or Friday。 Can you tell me
whether her baggage went through your hands？〃
The man set down his hat upon a vacant chair； and turned over the
leaves of his book。
〃Guess I can fix that for you；〃 he remarked； running his forefinger
down one of the pages。 〃Here we are。 The Duchess left on Friday；
and we checked her baggage through to Lenox by the New York； New
Haven & Hartford。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃Thank you；〃 he said。 〃She would probably take a carriage to the
station。 It will be worth another ten dollars to you if you can
find me the man who drove her。〃
〃Well； we ought to manage that for you；〃 the man remarked
encouragingly。 〃It was one of Steve Hassell's carriages； I guess；
unless the lady took a hansom。〃
〃Very good；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃See if you can find him。 Keep my
inquiries entirely to yourself。 It will pay you。〃
〃That's all right；〃 the man remarked。 〃Don't you go to bed for
half…an…hour； and I guess you'll hear from me again。〃
Duson busied himself in the bed…chamber； Mr。 Sabin sat motionless
in his easy chair。 Soon there came a tap at the door。 The porter
reappeared ushering in a smart…looking young man； who carried a
shiny coachman's hat in his hand。
〃Struck it right fust time；〃 the porter remarked cheerfully。 〃This
is the man； sir。
Mr。 Sabin turned his head。
〃You drove a lady from here to the New York； New Haven & Hartford
Depot last Friday？〃 he asked。
〃'Well； not exactly； sir；〃 the man answered。 〃The Duchess took my
cab； and the first address she gave was the New York； New Haven
& Hartford Depot； but before we'd driven a hundred yards she pulled
the check…string and ordered me to go to the Waldorf。 She paid me
there； and went into the hotel。〃
〃You have not seen her since？〃
〃No； sir！〃
〃You knew her by sight； you say。 Was there anything special about
her appearance？〃
The man hesitated。
〃She'd a pretty thick veil on； sir； but she raised it to pay me；
and I should say she'd been crying。 She was much paler； too； than
last time I drove her。〃
〃When was that？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃In the spring； sir； … with you； begging your pardon。 You were at
the Netherlands； and I drove you out several times。〃
〃You seem；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃to be a person with some powers of
observation。 It would pay you very well indeed if you would
ascertain from any of your mates at the Waldorf when and with whom
the lady in question left that hotel。〃
〃I'll have a try； sir；〃 the man answered。 〃The Duchess was better
known here； but some of them may have recognised her。〃
〃She had no luggage； I presume？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃Her dressing…case and jewel…case only； sir。〃
〃So you see；〃 Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃it is probable that she did not
remain at the Waldorf for the night。 Base your inquiries on that
supposition。〃
〃Very good； sir。〃
〃From your manners and speech；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； raising his head；
〃I should take you to be an Englishman。〃
〃Quite correct； sir；〃 the man answered。 〃I drove a hansom in
London for eight years。〃
〃You will understand me then；〃 Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃when I say
that I have no great confidence in the police of this country。 I
do not wish to be blackmailed or bullied。 I would ask you；
therefore； to make your inquiries with discretion。〃
〃I'll be careful； sir；〃 the man answered。
Mr。 Sabin handed to each of them a roll of notes。 The cabdriver
lingered upon the threshold。 Mr。 Sabin looked up。
〃Well？〃
〃Could I speak a word to you…in private； sir？〃
Mr。 Sabin motioned Duson to leave the room。 The baggage porter
had already departed。
〃When I cleaned out my cab at night； sir； I found this。 I didn't
reckon it was of any consequence at first； but from the questions
you have been asking it may be useful to you。〃
Mr。 Sabin took the half…sheet of note…paper in silence。 It was the
ordinary stationery of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel； and the following
words were written upon it in a faint delicate handwriting； but in
yellow pencil：…
〃Sept。 10th。
〃To LUCILLE； Duchesse de SOUSPENNIER。…
〃You will be at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the main corridor
at four o'clock this afternoon。〃
The thin paper shook in Mr。 Sabin's fingers。 There was no signature；
but he fancied that the handwriting was not wholly unfamiliar to him。
He looked slowly up towards the cabman。
〃I am much obliged to you；〃 he said。 〃This is of interest to me。〃
He stretched out his hand to the little wad of notes which Duson had
left upon the table； but the cabdriver backed away。
〃Beg pardon； sir；〃 he said。 〃You've given me plenty。 The letter's
of no value to me。 I came very near tearing it up； but for the
peculiar colour pencil it's written with。 Kinder took my fancy；
sir。〃
〃The letter is of value；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃It tells me much more
than I hoped to discover。 It is our good fortune。〃
The man accepted the little roll of bills and departed。 Mr。 Sabin
touched the bell。
〃Duson； what time is it？〃
〃Nearly midnight； sir！〃
〃I will go to bed！〃
〃Very good； sir！〃
〃Mix me a sleeping draught； Duson。 I need rest。 See that I am not
disturbed until ten o'clock to…morrow morning。
CHAPTER III
At precisely ten o'clock on the following morning Duson brought
chocolate； which he had prepared himself； and some dry toast to his
master's bedside。 Upon the tray was a single letter。 Mr。 Sabin
sat up in bed and tore open the envelope。 The following words were
written upon a sheet of the Holland House notepaper in the same
peculiar coloured crayon。
〃The first warning addressed to you yesterday was a friendly one。
Profit by it。 Go back to Lenox。 You are only exposing you