Mademoiselle of Monte Carlo

by William Le Queux

  TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER

  CLOSING THE NET

  "Well--recollect how much the girl knows!" Howell remarked as he stoodbefore The Sparrow in the latter's room.

  "I have not forgotten," said the other. "The whole circumstances of oldHenfrey's death are not known to me. That it was an unfortunate affairhas long ago been proved."

  "Yvonne was the culprit, of course," said Howell. "That was apparentfrom the first."

  "I suppose she was," remarked The Sparrow reflectively. "But thatattempt upon her life puzzles me."

  "Who could have greater motive in killing her out of revenge than thedead man's son?"

  "Agreed. But I am convinced that the lad is innocent. Therefore I gavehim our protection."

  "I was travelling abroad at the time, you recollect. When I learnt ofthe affair through Franklyn about a week afterwards I was amazed. Theloss of Yvonne to us is a serious one."

  "Very--I agree. She had done some excellent work--the affair in the RueRoyale, for instance."

  "And the clever ruse by which she got those emeralds of the Roumanianprincess. The Vienna police are still searching for her--after threeyears," laughed the companion of the chief of the internationalorganization, whose word was law in the criminal underworld of Europe.

  "Knowing what you did regarding the knowledge of old Mr. Henfrey's deathpossessed by Lisette, I have been surprised that you placed her beneathyour protection."

  "If she had been arrested she might have told some very unpleasanttruths, in order to save herself," The Sparrow remarked, "so I chose thelatter evil."

  "Young Henfrey met her. I wonder whether she told him anything?"

  "No. I questioned her. She was discreet, it seems. Or at least, shedeclares that she was."

  "That's a good feature. But, speaking frankly, have you any idea of theidentity of the person--man or woman--who attempted to kill Yvonne?"asked Howell.

  "I have a suspicion--a pretty shrewd suspicion," replied the littlebristly-haired man.

  His companion was silent.

  "And you don't offer to confide in me your suspicions--eh?"

  "It is wiser to obtain proof before making any allegations," answeredThe Sparrow, smiling.

  "You will still protect Lisette?" Howell asked. "I agree that, likeYvonne, she has been of great use to us in many ways. Beauty and witare always assets in our rather ticklish branch of commerce. Where isLisette now?"

  "At the moment, she's in Madrid," The Sparrow replied. "There is alittle affair there--the jewels of a Belgian's wife--a fellow who,successfully posing as a German during the occupation of Brussels, madea big fortune by profiteering in leather. They are in Madrid for sixmonths, in order to escape unwelcome inquiries by the Government inBrussels. They have a villa just outside the city, and I have sentLisette there with certain instructions."

  "Who is with her?"

  "Nobody yet. Franklyn will go in due course."

  Howell's thin lips relaxed into a curious smile.

  "Franklyn is in love with Lisette," he remarked.

  "That is why I am sending them together to execute the little mission,"The Sparrow said. "Lisette was here a fortnight ago, and I mapped outfor her a plan. I went myself to Madrid not long ago, in order to surveythe situation."

  "The game is worth the candle, I suppose--eh?"

  "Yes. If we get the lot Van Groot, in Amsterdam, will give at leastfifteen thousand for them. Moulaert bought most of them from old Leplaein the Rue de la Paix. There are some beautiful rubies among them. I sawMadame wearing some of the jewels at the Palace Hotel, in Madrid, whilethey were staying there before their villa was ready. Moulaert, with hiswife and two friends from the Belgian Legation, dined at a table next tomine, little dreaming with what purpose I ate my meal alone."

  Truly, the intuition and cleverness of The Sparrow were wonderful. Henever moved without fully considering every phase of the consequences.Unlike most adventurers, he drank hardly anything. Half a glass of drysherry at eleven in the morning, the same at luncheon, and one glass ofclaret for his dinner.

  Yet often at restaurants he would order champagne, choice vintageclarets, and liqueurs--when occasion demanded. He would offer them tohis friends, but just sip them himself, having previously arranged withthe waiter to miss filling his glass.

  Of the peril of drink "Mr. Peters" was constantly lecturing the greatcircle of his friends.

  Each year--on the 26th of February to be exact--there was held a dinnerat a well-known restaurant in the West End--the annual dinner of aclub known as "The Wonder Wizards." It was supposed to be a circle ofprofessional conjurers.

  This dinner was usually attended by fifty guests of both sexes, allwell-dressed and prosperous, and of several nationalities. It waspresided over by a Mr. Charles Williams.

  Now, to tell the truth, the guests believed him to be The Sparrow;but in reality Mr. Williams was the tall White Cavalier whom Hugh hadbelieved to be the great leader, until he had gone to Mayfair and metthe impelling personality whom the police had for so long failed toarrest.

  The situation was indeed humorous. It was The Sparrow's fancy to holdthe reunion at a public restaurant instead of at a private house. Underthe very nose of Scotland Yard the deputy of the notorious Sparrowentertained the chiefs of the great criminal octopus. There werespeeches, but from them the waiters learned nothing. It was simplya club of conjurers. None suspected that the guests were those whoconjured fortunes out of the pockets of the unsuspecting. And while thechairman--believed by those who attended to be The Sparrow himself--satthere, the bristly-haired, rather insignificant-looking little manoccupied a seat in a far-off corner, from where he scrutinized hisguests very closely, and smiled at the excellent manner in which hisdeputy performed the duties of chairman.

  Because it was a club of conjurers, and because the conjurers displayedtheir new tricks and illusions, after an excellent dinner the waiterswere excluded and the doors locked after the coffee.

  It was then that the bogus Sparrow addressed those present, and gavecertain instructions which were later on carried into every corner ofEurope. Each member had his speciality, and each group its districtand its sanctuary, in case of a hue-and-cry. Every crime that could becommitted was committed by them--everything save murder.

  The tall, thin man whom everyone believed to be The Sparrow never failedto impress upon his hearers, after the doors were carefully locked, thathowever they might attack and rob the rich, human life was sacred.

  It was the real Sparrow's order. He abominated the thought of takinghuman life, hence when old Mr. Henfrey had been foully done to death inthe West End he had at once set to work to discover the actual criminal.This he had failed to do. And afterwards there had followed theattempted assassination of Yvonne Ferad, known as Mademoiselle of MonteCarlo.

  The two men stood discussing the young French girl, Lisette, whom Hughhad met when in hiding in the Via della Maddalena in Genoa.

  "I only hope; that she has not told young Henfrey anything," Howellsaid, with distinct apprehension.

  "No," laughed The Sparrow. "She came to me and told me how she had methim in Genoa and discovered to her amazement that he was old Henfrey'sson."

  "How curious that the pair should meet by accident," remarked Howell."I tell you that Benton is not playing a straight game. That iniquitouswill which the old man left he surely must have signed under somemisapprehension. Perhaps he thought he was applying for a lifepolicy--or something of that short. Signatures to wills have beenprocured under many pretexts by scoundrelly relatives and unscrupulouslawyers."

  "I know. And the witnesses have placed their signatures afterward,"remarked The Sparrow thoughtfully. "But in this case all seems aboveboard--at least so far as the will is concerned. Benton was oldHenfrey's bosom friend. Henfrey was very taken with Louise, and I knowthat he was desirous Hugh should marry her."

  "And if he did, Hugh would acquire the old man's fortune, and Bentonwould step in and seize it--as is his intention."

&nbs
p; "Undoubtedly. All we can do is to keep Hugh and Louise apart. The latteris in entire ignorance of the true profession of her adopted father,and she'd be horrified if she knew that Molly was simply a cleveradventuress, who is very much wanted in Paris and in Brussels," said thegloved man.

  "A good job that she knows nothing," said Howell. "But it would be arevelation to her if the police descended upon Shapley Manor--wouldn'tit?"

  "Yes. That is why I must see Dorise Ranscomb and ascertain from herexactly what she has heard. I know the police tracked Hugh to London,and for that reason he went with Benton down into Surrey--out of thefrying-pan into the fire."

  "Well, before we can go farther, it seems that we should ascertain whoshot Yvonne," Howell suggested. "It was a most dastardly thing, andwhoever did it ought to be punished."

  "He ought. But I'm as much in the dark as you are, Howell; but, as Ihave already said, I entertain strong suspicions."

  "I'll suggest one name--Benton?"

  The Sparrow shook his head.

  "The manservant, Giulio Cataldi?" Howell ventured. "I never liked thatsly old Italian."

  "What motive could the old fellow have had?"

  "Robbery, probably. We have no idea what were Yvonne's winnings thatnight--or of the money she had in her bag."

  "Yes, we do know," was The Sparrow's reply. "According to the policereport, Yvonne, on her return home, went to her room, carrying her bag,which she placed upon her dressing-table. Then, after removing her cloakand hat, she went downstairs again and out on to the veranda. A fewminutes later the young man was announced. High words were heard by oldCataldi, and then a shot."

  "And Yvonne's bag?"

  "It was found where she had left it. In it were three thousand eighthundred francs, all in notes."

  "Yet Franklyn told me that he had heard how Yvonne won quite a large sumthat night."

  "She might have done so--and have lost the greater part of it," TheSparrow replied.

  "On the other hand, what more feasible than that the old manservant,watching her place it there, abstracted the bulk of the money--a largesum, no doubt--and afterwards, in order to conceal his crime, shot hismistress in such circumstances as to place the onus of the crime uponher midnight visitor?"

  "That the affair was very cleverly planned there is no doubt," said TheSparrow. "There is a distinct intention to fasten the guilt upon youngHenfrey, because he alone would have a motive for revenge for the deathof his father. Of that fact the man or woman who fired the shot was mostcertainly aware. How could Cataldi have known of it?"

  "I certainly believe the Italian robbed his mistress and afterwardsattempted to murder her," Howell insisted.

  "He might rob his mistress, certainly. He might even have robbed her ofconsiderable sums systematically," The Sparrow assented. "The maidstold the police that Mademoiselle's habit was to leave her bag with herwinnings upon the dressing-table while she went downstairs and took aglass of wine."

  "Exactly. She did so every evening. Her habits were regular. Yet shenever knew the extent of her winnings at the tables before she countedthem. And she never did so until the following morning. That is whatFranklyn told me in Venice when we met a month afterwards."

  "He learnt that from me," The Sparrow said with a smile. "No," he wenton; "though old Cataldi could well have robbed his mistress, just as themaids could have done, and Yvonne would have been none the wiser, yetI do not think he would attempt to conceal his crime by shooting her,because by so doing he cut off all future supplies. If he were a thiefhe would not be such a fool. Therefore you may rest assured, Howell,that the hand that fired the shot was that of some person who desired toclose Yvonne's mouth."

  "She might have held some secret concerning old Cataldi. Or, on hispart, he might have cherished some grievance against her. Italians areusually very vindictive," replied the visitor. "On the other hand, itwould be to Benton's advantage that the truth concerning oldHenfrey's death was suppressed. Yvonne was about to tell the young mansomething--perhaps confess the truth, who knows?--when the shot wasfired."

  "Well, my dear Howell, you have your opinion and I have mine," laughedThe Sparrow. "The latter I shall keep to myself--until my theory isdisproved."

  Thereupon Howell took a cigar that his host offered him, and while heslowly lit it, The Sparrow crossed to the telephone.

  He quickly found Lady Ranscomb's number in the directory, and a fewmoments later was talking to the butler, of whom he inquired for MissDorise.

  "Tell her," he added, "that a friend of Mr. Henfrey's wishes to speak toher."

  In a few moments The Sparrow heard the girl's voice.

  "Yes?" she inquired. "Who is speaking?"

  "A friend of Mr. Henfrey," was the reply of the man with the glovedhand. "You will probably guess who it is."

  He heard a little nervous laugh, and then:

  "Oh, yes. I--I have an idea, but I can't talk to you over the 'phone.I've got somebody who's just called. Mother is out--and----" Thenshe lowered her voice, evidently not desirous of being heard in theadjoining room. "Well, I don't know what to do."

  "What do you mean? Does it concern Mr. Henfrey?"

  "Yes. It does. There's a man here to see me from Scotland Yard! Whatshall I do?"

  The Sparrow gasped at the girl's announcement.

  Next second he recovered himself.

  "A man from Scotland Yard!" he echoed. "Why has he called?"

  "He knows that Mr. Henfrey is living at Shapley, in Surrey. And he hasbeen asking whether I am acquainted with you."