Marie Belloc Lowndes

“ Any man would have been flattered, how far more so this man who, with all his terrible knowledge of the ugly, sinister side of human nature, was yet still tender-hearted, and always easily moved by any human being's distress. Woman, to Hercules Popeau, was still a fragile, sensitive creature, quite unfit to battle with the cold winds of life. ”

“ The unscrupulous man who belongs by birth and upbringing to a secure, solid, social stratum, is apt to think that whatever he may do Nemesis will surely pass him by."
"Jim Patterdale," said Mrs. Brantwood, "has always lived in luxury, for he has charming manners. But lately he has been dreadfully hard up."
"Does he go by more than one name?" asked Popeau. "I mean by that, is he the sort of man who has ever got into trouble with the police?" ”

“ I thought the English detective I employ would have explained everything to Maroquin. But the truth is that Mr. Brown does not believe my husband is in any danger. He laughs at the idea, and thinks me a foolish, hysterical, jealous woman, who hopes to get her husband back by pretending a crazy fear for his safety."
"I am not like Mr. Brown," observed Popeau thoughtfully. "I have seen too much of human nature not to realise that there are innumerable human beings who will do anything—anything, mark you—for money." ”

“ And then Popeau observed in a dry, sharp voice: "Again and again, Captain Brantwood, you've been warned about this man—this unscrupulous villain! As to why he wanted to take your life, though he had no quarrel with you personally, remind yourself of one fact. Your uncle, Sir John Brantwood, is dying. Only your life stands between your friend Patterdale and twelve thousand pounds, his commission on 'business' introduced by him to a certain money-lender. Money goes a long way in the Paris of to-day, and the whole affair would have been done, artistically done, too, for how much? ”

“ We ought to be getting busy, Madame. I have a suite of rooms in the Hotel Paragon, just off the Boulevard St. Germain. It is respectable and quiet, kept, too, by an excellent couple. The woman is what you call in England 'a very nice woman,' so, unless you have reason to prefer one place to another, I advise, Mrs. Brantwood, that you allow me to escort you there. It will have the great advantage that you and I can keep in constant touch. Try and be cheerful. I believe that the running of your husband to earth—to use a sporting metaphor—will turn out far easier than you think. ”

“ Most fortunately for us, the man whom Americans call 'the janitor' and whom we call the concierge of the old house on the quay where your husband is now staying, is by no means a reputable character. He is one of those men who, as it was put to me the other day, will do anything for money. Though he is now absolutely respectable, he is still in touch with some of his old evil friends. ”

“ While this was occurring in far less seconds than it takes to write, what the French call a bagarre was occurring round the door of the dancing-hall.
The curious little olive-skinned man had been knocked over, and from his hand there had dropped a revolver; and then, as if by magic, a number of police agents appeared on the scene; they picked up the little man, together with his revolver, and took him off, protesting lustily. ”

“ Framed in a charming old-world octagon sitting-room, of which the window looked out into a garden, sat the wife from whom he had parted with angry, contemptuous words some months ago, and yet whom he had loved passionately even while he was being so recklessly cruel. ”

“ My husband is heir to a great property, as well as to a baronetcy, for he is great-nephew to Sir John Brantwood. Sir John has never married, and he is now a very old man. He has two great-nephews, my husband, Jack Brantwood, and Jack's first cousin, Arthur. Now Arthur is what we call in England a wastrel. At a time when my husband was in Australia, and had been completely lost sight of by his family, so much so that he was presumed to be dead, Arthur went to a moneylender, and raised a huge sum of money on what were then regarded as his certain prospects. ”

“ My only stipulation"—a twinkle came into his eyes,—"if I pull it off for you, my friend, will be that you must give half the fee earned, whatever it may be, to my favourite charity, the 'Drop of Milk.' As to our lunch, let us postpone it till to-morrow."
Maroquin's face lit up with relief. He seized the other man's hand. "Thank you a million times," he cried. "I cannot afford to take up speculative work. Once more you have earned your nickname."
"My nickname? " Popeau smiled. "I had more than one nickname before I laid myself on the shelf." ”

“ He is far too crafty to do so himself. I once heard him say," she grew red, "that a Frenchman will do anything for money."
"That peculiarity is not confined to my countrymen, Mrs. Brantwood." He smiled, "Now the first thing we have to discover is where this gentleman and your husband are staying. From what you tell me I should imagine that they have gone to a good hotel."
"Nothing but the best is good enough for Jim Patterdale. But my husband has always been careful about money, and as he may be paying the bill, I feel sure they won't go to a really expensive place. ”

“ Maroquin had drawn towards him a dictionary, looked up the word "race," and there had come into his face a sudden look of understanding. But even then she found it impossible to make him realise why this question of finding where her husband was staying in Paris was so horribly urgent. It was the life of the man she loved, though they had now been separated for over a year, that she believed in danger.
The door of the shabby little office—so unlike the well-furnished comfortable room of Maroquin's London correspondent—opened, and an elderly man came in. "You are Mrs. Brantwood?" ”

“ Every move you have made is known to the French Police, and if you make the slightest attempt to leave Paris before the death of Sir John Brantwood has taken place—according to our information that may happen to-day, or it may not happen for some weeks—then you will be arrested on a charge of attempted murder. ”

“ Patterdale changed five hundred pounds of English money into French notes of all denominations."
She rose from her chair. "Then you think, Monsieur Popeau——?"
"I do not think, I know. From these two facts—the Prince's return and the money having been changed—I can deduce that Mr. Patterdale's attempt on your husband's life is to be made to-night. What is more, I can already assure you that this attempt will be frustrated. I'm in close touch with a man familiar with the Paris underworld, and he has all the threads of this affair in his hands. ”

“ But you may not know that often that kind of race takes much longer to run than anyone would believe possible. After leaving you at the Hotel Paragon I will get in touch with the man who has charge of the foreign passport department at the Prefecture of Police. Unless I am much mistaken, we shall at any rate very soon discover where these two gentlemen are staying."
As they were going out of the door of the little office, Mrs. Brantwood suddenly lifted her beautiful blue eyes to her new-found friend. ”

“ That might have been so in the old days, before the War, but now, thanks to the passport system which is so much abused in your country it is by no means easy for a foreigner to hide himself in Paris. ”

“ Then he was in Paris after all? How anxious his friend Patterdale must be at his non-appearance, indeed at his disappearance!
There came a knock at the door, and a pleasant-faced woman came in. "One little moment, sir," she said in French. Then she walked quickly across the room to a door Brantwood had not noticed was there, and opened it.
"Monsieur Popeau?" she called out, "the gentleman is awake."
"Awake? I've never been asleep. I was drugged—drugged!" called out Brantwood fiercely. ”

“ The first thing I discovered was that a certain little man who has been in prison, or rather I should say, in and out of prison most of his life—his nickname is Yellowface and he is known to stick at nothing—has been boasting of a great coup he is going to carry off. ”