CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXII
The last thing that sounded in Richard Duvall's ears as he left theoffice of Monsieur Lefevre, Prefect of Police of Paris, were thelatter's words, spoken in a voice of mingled confidence and alarm, "Thefortunes of a nation may depend upon your faithfulness. Go, and God bewith you." He entered the automobile which was drawn up alongside thecurb, and accompanied by Vernet, one of the Prefect's assistants, wassoon threading the torrent of traffic which pours through the Rue deRivoli.
The thoughts which lay uppermost in the detective's mind were of Grace,his wife; Grace Ellicott, who had become Grace Duvall but little morethan an hour before. By this time he had expected to be on his way toCherbourg, en route to New York, with Grace by his side. They hadlooked forward so happily to their honeymoon, on shipboard, and now—hefound himself headed for London on this mysterious expedition, and Gracewaiting for him in vain at the pension. The thought was maddening. Heswore softly to himself as he looked out at the crowded street.
Monsieur Lefevre had no right to ask so great a sacrifice of him, hegrumbled. What if he had distinguished himself, made himself thePrefect's most valued assistant, during the past six or eight months?The matters which had brought him from New York to Paris had all beendefinitely concluded—Grace and he were married—his plans had all beenmade, to return to America, and home. Now at the last moment, it wasfrightfully exasperating to have Monsieur Lefevre insist that matters ofso grave a nature had occurred, that the honor of his very country wasat stake, and to call upon him, Duvall, as the one man who could setmatters right. Of course, it was very flattering, but he wanted, notflattery, but Grace, and all the happiness which lay before them. What,after all, was this matter, this affair so vague and mysterious, intowhich he had so unexpectedly been thrown? He drew out the instructionswhich the Prefect had hurriedly thrust into his hands, and looked atthem with eager curi