is Ri

ediately. After sending off a reply telegram to Cherbourg (which reached the quayside too late and was aft

en speaking. Are

Good m

r husband has sailed for Canada on 'La Bretagn

ha

explained ma

nations. Just like Clifford!... What

ily here. So he answered: "I

ives in some suburb of Paris, I forget where,

flashed through his brain: "I doubt if the police'll do much unless the relatives kick up a shindy." Meanwhil

him. If you give me his Par

know his

soon as I get a line on him I'll wire

years older than Clifford, I believ

morrow. I'm not sure if

play r

been at t

each you," sai

ight

r-Sylvester, his usual confidential man, if the latter were back at business; if not, another subordinate he named. Catching the nine o'clock train

himself, as a rule, and the routine work for subordinates is small, except when a public company flotation is being made. Matheson had found that his Paris office needed onl

of course, and recei

the pleasure of d

r John Rivière. Or rathe

Mr John

n, and made him doubly anxious to discover t

Mr Rivière is her husband's half-br

him myself. I'll make enquir

ned with the young Engl

re yesterday afternoon and enquired

n him, sir," said the clerk. "He came in and asked quite naturally for Mr Matheson. There was an asto

nishing

course in a general way. Mr Rivière i

ribe

so to the best

leave an

, s

mess

N

here he w

intentions of John Rivière. Repeated questioning a

o-day or yesterday. Have you seen anythin

e's away t

Cana

tter the night I was here

heard n

dn't you look in Mr Matheson's desk t

full power to go over his employer's desk except for

h, he had an envelope in his han

e for you, sir. There seems to be

ad it with a countenance that gave no clu

mount. If this is right, please let me have a formal receipt and quittance. I want you to understand that my decision on the matt

. From the 'phone conversation with Olive, it was clear that she had no suspicion that her husband wanted to withdraw from the Hudson Bay deal. In fact, she had asked anxiously if anything had gone w

e explanation was in some way connected with this mysterious

s whereabouts? His jaw tightened as he began to chew on the pro

room. Passing through the outer office, he was addre

ce. I am at the window when Monsieur Rivière arrives en taxi-auto. On the impé

e the number

n. There had been no reason to look at the number, even i

nknown cab from an unknown house in an unknown suburb to an unknown terminus, when he buys a

ad travelled away from Paris on the evening of the 15th, probably he stayed that night or the next day at some hotel. The

ation. The average Frenchman is very keen on money; without a doubt he would answer the advertisement if he knew anything of John Rivière. Advertise in Le Pe

the right

as after big game, and a mere ￡20,000 was a jack-rabbit. It wo

as he considered desirable. This was little. Sylvester was to stay in Paris while the shipowner went on to Monte Carlo. If the various advertisements b

t orders to the letter, but he was to be trusted to keep his head in any unforeseen emergency and act on his own responsibility in a sound, common-sense way. But La

inal direction to his subordinate:

on the Channel passage. In his hours of leisure he was a devoted amateur photographer. At th