The Essential Maurice Leblanc Collection. Морис Леблан
it possible to rearrange these letters and, employing them all, to form one, two or three complete words?
Shears attempted to do so in vain.
One solution alone suggested itself, returned continually to the point of his pencil and, in the end, appeared to him the right one, because it agreed with the logic of the facts and also corresponded with the general circumstances.
Admitting that the page in the album contained each of the letters of the alphabet once and once only, it was probable, it was certain that he had to do with incomplete words and that these words had been completed with letters taken from other pages. Given these conditions, and allowing for the possibility of a mistake, the puzzle stood thus:
R E P O N D . Z--C H--237
The first word was clear: "_Rpondez_, reply." An E was missing, because the letter E, having been once used, was no longer available.
As for the last, unfinished word, it undoubtedly formed, with the number 237, the address which the sender gave to the receiver of the letter. He was advised to fix the day for Saturday and asked to send a reply to C H 237.
Either C H 237 was the official number of a _poste restante_ or else the two letters C H formed part of an incomplete word. Shears turned over the leaves of the album: nothing had been cut from any of the following pages. He must, therefore, until further orders, be content with the explanation hit upon.
* * * * *
"Isn't it fun?"
Henriette had returned.
He replied:
"Yes, great fun! Only, haven't you any other papers?... Or else some words ready cut out, for me to stick on?"
"Papers?... No.... And then mademoiselle wouldn't like it."
"Mademoiselle?"
"Yes, mademoiselle has scolded me already."
"Why?"
"Because I told you things ... and she says you must never tell things about people you are fond of."
"You were quite right to tell me."
Henriette seemed delighted with his approval, so much so that, from a tiny canvas bag pinned on to her frock, she took a few strips of stuff, three buttons, two lumps of sugar and, lastly, a square piece of paper which she held out to Shears:
"There, I'll give it you all the same." It was the number of a cab, No. 8279.
"Where did you get this from?"
"It fell out of her purse."
"When?"
"On Sunday, at mass, when she was taking out some coppers for the collection."
"Capital! And now I will tell you how not to get scolded. Don't tell mademoiselle that you have seen me."
* * * * *
Shears went off in search of M. d'Imblevalle and asked him straight out about mademoiselle.
The baron gave a start:
"Alice Demun!... Would you think?... Oh, impossible!"
"How long has she been in your service?"
"Only twelve months, but I know no quieter person nor any in whom I place more confidence."
"How is it that I have not yet seen her?"
"She was away for two days."
"And at present?"
"Immediately on her return, she took up her position by your friend's bedside. She is a first-rate nurse ... gentle ... attentive. Mr. Wilson seems delighted with her."
"Oh!" said Shears, who had quite omitted to inquire after old chap's progress.
He thought for a moment and asked:
"And did she go out on Sunday morning?"
"The day after the robbery?"
"Yes."
The baron called his wife and put the question to her. She replied:
"Mademoiselle took the children to the eleven o'clock mass, as usual."
"But before that?"
"Before? No.... Or rather.... But I was so upset by the theft!... Still, I remember that, on the evening before, she asked leave to go out on Sunday morning ... to see a cousin who was passing through Paris, I think. But surely you don't suspect her?"
"Certainly not. But I should like to see her."
He went up to Wilson's room. A woman dressed like a hospital nurse, in a long gray linen gown, was stooping over the sick man and giving him a draught. When she turned round, Shears recognized the girl who had spoken to him outside the Gare du Nord.
* * * * *
Not the slightest explanation passed between them. Alice Demun smiled gently, with her grave and charming eyes, without a trace of embarrassment. The Englishman wanted to speak, tried to utter a syllable or two and was silent. Then she resumed her task, moved about peacefully before Shears's astonished eyes, shifted bottles, rolled and unrolled linen bandages and again gave him her bright smile.
Shears turned on his heels, went downstairs, saw M. d'Imblevalle's motor in the courtyard, got into it and told the chauffeur to drive him to the yard at Levallois of which the address was marked on the cab-ticket given him by the child. Duprt, the driver who had taken out No. 8279 on Sunday morning, was not there and Shears sent back the motor-car and waited until he came to change horses.
Duprt the driver said yes, he had taken up a lady near the Parc Monceau, a young lady in black, with a big veil on her: she seemed very excited.
"Was she carrying a parcel?"
"Yes, a longish parcel."
"And where did you drive her to?"
"Avenue des Ternes, at the corner of the Place Saint-Ferdinand. She stayed for ten minutes or so; and then we went back to the Parc Monceau."
"Would you know the house again, in the Avenue des Ternes?"
"Rather! Shall I take you there?"
"Presently. Go first to 36, Quai des Orfvres."
At the police headquarters he had the good fortune to come upon Chief-Inspector Ganimard:
"Are you disengaged, M. Ganimard?"
"If it's about Lupin, no."
"It is about Lupin."
"Then I shan't stir."
"What! You give up...!"
"I give up the impossible. I am tired of this unequal contest of which we are certain to have the worst. It's cowardly, it's ridiculous, it's anything you please.... I don't care! Lupin is stronger than we are. Consequently, there's nothing to do but give in."
"I'm not giving in!"
"He'll make you give in like the rest of us."
"Well, it's a sight that can't fail to please you."
"That's true enough," said Ganimard, innocently. "And, as you seem to want another beating, come along!"
Ganimard and Shears stepped into the cab. They told the driver to stop a little way before he came to the house and on the other side of the avenue, in front of a small caf. They sat down outside it,