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neighbourhood in which he found himself。 Nevertheless； he descended
three steps from the court into which he had been directed； and
pushed open the swing door； behind which Emil Sachs announced his
desire to supply the world with dinners at eightpence and vin
ordinaire at fourpence the small bottle。
A stout black…eyed woman looked up at his entrance from behind the
counter。 The place was empty。
〃What does monsieur require she asked； peering forward through the
gloom with some suspicion。 For the eightpenny dinners were the
scorn of the neighbourhood； and strangers were rare in the wine
shop of Emil Sachs。
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃One of your excellent omelettes； my good Annette；〃 he answered；
〃if your hand has not lost its cunning！〃
She gave a little cry。
〃It is monsieur！〃 she exclaimed。 〃After all these years it is
monsieur！ Ab； you will pardon that I did not recognise you。 This
place is a cellar。 Monsieur has not changed。 In the daylight one
would know him anywhere。〃
The woman talked fast； but even in that dim light Mr。 Sabin knew
quite well that she was shaking with fear。 He could see the corners
of her mouth twitch。 Her black eyes rolled incessantly； but refused
to meet his。 Mr。 Sabin frowned。
〃You are not glad to see me； Annette！〃
She leaned over the counter。
〃For monsieur s own sake；〃 she whispered； 〃go！〃
Mr。 Sabin stood quite still for a short space of time。
〃Can I rest in there for a few minutes？〃 he asked； pointing to the
door which led into the room beyond。
The woman hesitated。 She looked up at the clock and down again。
〃Emil will return；〃 she said； 〃at three。 Monsieur were best out of
the neighbourhood before then。 For ten minutes it might be safe。〃
Mr。 Sabin passed forward。 The woman lifted the flap of the counter
and followed him。 Within was a smaller room； far cleaner and better
appointed than the general appearance of the place promised。 Mr。
Sabin seated himself at one of the small tables。 The linen cloth；
he noticed； was spotless； the cutlery and appointments polished and
clean。
〃This； I presume；〃 he remarked； 〃is not where you serve the
eightpenny table d'hote？〃
The woman shrugged her shoulders。
〃But it would not be possible；〃 she answered。 〃We have no customers
for that。 If one arrives we put together a few scraps。 But one must
make a pretense。 Monsieur understands？〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃I will take；〃 he said； 〃a small glass of fin champagne。〃
She vanished； and reappeared almost immediately with the brandy in
a quaintly cut liqueur glass。 A glance at the clock as she passed
seemed to have increased her anxiety。
〃If monsieur will drink his liqueur and depart；〃 she prayed。 〃Indeed；
it will be for the best。〃
Mr。 Sabin set down his glass。 His steadfast gaze seemed to reduce
Annette into a state of nervous
panic。
〃Annette；〃 he said； 〃they have placed me upon the
list。〃
〃It…is true； monsieur；〃 she answered。 〃Why do you come here？〃
〃I wanted to know first for certain that they had ventured so far；〃
Mr。 Sabin said。 〃I believe that I am only the second person in
this country who has been so much honoured。〃
The woman drew nearer to him。
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； 〃your only danger is to venture into such
parts as these。 London is so safe； and the law is merciless。 They
only watch。 They will attempt nothing。 Do not leave England。
There is here no machinery of criminals。 Besides； the life of
monsieur is insured。〃
〃Insured？〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked quietly。 〃That is good news。 And
who pays the premium？〃
〃A great lady； monsieur！ I know no more。 Monsieur must go indeed。
He has found his way into the only place in London where he is not
safe。〃
Mr。 Sabin rose。
〃You are expecting； perhaps；〃 he said； 〃one of my friends from
the … 〃
She interrupted him。
〃It is true；〃 she declared。 He may be here at any instant。 The
time is already up。 Oh； monsieur； indeed； indeed it would not do
for him to find you。〃
Mr。 Sabin moved towards the door。
〃You are perhaps right；〃 he said regretfully； 〃although I should
much like to hear about this little matter of life insurance while
I am here。〃
〃Indeed； monsieur；〃 Annette declared； 〃I know nothing。 There is
nothing which I can tell monsieur。〃
Mr。 Sabin suddenly leaned forward。 His gaze was compelling。 His
tone was low but terrible。
〃Annette；〃 he said； 〃obey me。 Send Emil here。〃
The woman trembled； but she did not move。 Mr。 Sabin lifted his
forefinger and pointed slowly to the door。 The woman's lips parted；
but she seemed to have lost the power of speech。
〃Send Emil here！〃 Mr。 Sabin repeated slowly。
Annette turned and left the room； groping her way to the door as
though her eyesight had become uncertain。 Mr。 Sabin lit a cigarette
and looked for a moment carefully into the small liqueur glass out
of which he had drunk。
〃That was unwise；〃 he said softly to himself。 〃Just such a blunder
might have cost me everything。〃
He held it up to the light and satisfied himself that no dregs
remained。 Then he took from his pocket a tiny little revolver； and
placing it on the table before him； covered it with his handkerchief。
Almost immediately a door at the farther end of the room opened and
closed。 A man in dark clothes； small； unnaturally pale； with
deep…set eyes and nervous； twitching mouth； stood before him。 Mr。
Sabin smiled a welcome at him。
〃Good…morning； Emil Sachs；〃 he said。 〃I am glad that you have shown discretion。 Stand there in
the light； please； and fold your arms。
Thanks。 Do not think that I am afraid of you； but I like to talk
comfortably。〃
〃I am at monsieur's service；〃 the man said in a low tone。
〃Exactly。 Now； Emil； before starting to visit you I left a little
note behind addressed to the chief of the police here … no； you
need not start … to be sent to him only if my return were unduly
delayed。 You can guess what that note contained。 It is not
necessary for us to revert to … unpleasant subjects。〃
The man moistened his dry lips。
〃It is not necessary；〃 he repeated。 〃Monsieur is as safe here … from
me … as at his own hotel。〃
〃Excellent！〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃Now listen； Emil。 It has pleased me
chiefly； as you know； for the sake of your wife； the good Annette；
to be very merciful to you as regards the past。 But I do not
propose to allow you to run a poison bureau for the advantage of the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer and his friends … more especially； perhaps；
as I am at present upon his list of superfluous persons。〃
The man trembled。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said； 〃the Prince knows as much as you know； and he
has not the mercy that one shows to a dog。〃
〃You will find；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃that if you do not obey me； I
myself can develop a similar disposition。 Now answer me this！ You
have within the last few days supplied several people with that
marvelous powder for the preparation of which you are so justly
famed。〃
〃Several … no； monsieur！ Two only。〃
〃Their names？〃
The man trembled。
〃If they should know！〃
〃They will not； Emil。 I will see to that。〃
〃The first I supplied to the order of the Prince。〃
〃Good！ And the second？〃
〃To a lady whose name I do not know。〃
Mr。 Sabin raised his eyebrows。
〃Is not that；〃 he remarked； 〃a little irregular？〃
〃The lady wrote her request before me in the yellow crayon。 It was sufficient。〃
〃And you do not know her name； Emil？〃
〃No； monsieur。 She was dark and tall； and closely veiled。 She was
here but a few minutes since。〃
〃Dark and tall！〃 Mr。 Sabin repeated to himself thoughtfully。 〃Emil；
you are telling me the truth？〃
〃I do not dare to tell you anything else； monsieur；〃 the man answered。
Mr。 Sabin did not continue his interrogations for a few moments。
Suddenly he looked up。
〃Has that lady left the place yet； Emil？〃
〃No； monsieur！〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃Have you a back exit？〃 he asked。
〃None that the lady would know of；〃 Emil answered。 〃She must pass
along the passage which borders this apartment； and enter the bar
by a door from behind。 If monsieur desires it； it is impossible for
her to leave unobserved。〃
〃That is excellent； Emil；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。