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“IfIrefuse？“sheasked。
“Isendforthechiefofthepolice。“
“Shelookedhimupanddown，ameasured，mercilesssurvey。Hewasatall，bigman，butheseemedtoshrinkintoinsignificance。
“Youareacowardandabully，“shesaidslowly。“YouknowquitewellthatIaminnocentofanyknowledgeevenconcerningDuson’sdeath。ButIwouldsoonermeetmyfate，whateveritmightbe，thansuffereventhetouchofyourfingersuponmyhand。Yourpresenceishatefultome。Sendforyourchiefofthepolice。Stringyourliestogetherasyouwill。Iamsatisfied。“
Shelefthimandsweptfromtheroom，aspotofcolourburninginhercheeks，hereyeslitwithfire。Theprideofherracehadasserteditself。Shefeltnolongeranyfear。Sheonlydesiredtoseverherselfatonceandcompletelyfromallassociationwiththisman。Inthehallshesentforhermaid。
“Fetchmycloakandjewelcase，Celeste，“sheordered。“IamgoingacrosstotheBristol。Youcanreturnfortheotherluggage。“
“But，madam-“
“DoasIsayatonce，“Lucilleordered。
Thegirlhesitatedandthenobeyed。Lucillefoundherselfsuddenlyaddressedinaquiettonebyamanwhohadbeensittinginaneasy-chair，halfhiddenbyapalmtree。
“Willyoufavourme，madam，withamoment’sconversation？“
Lucilleturnedround。Sherecognisedatoncethemanwithwhomshehadconverseduponthesteamer。Inthequietestformofeveningdress，therewassomethingnoticeableintheman’sveryinsignificance。Heseemedalittleoutofhiselement。Lucillehadasuddeninspiration，Themanwasadetective。
“Whatdoyouwishtosay？“sheasked，halfdoubtfully。
“Ioverheard，“heremarked，“yourordertoyourmaid。Shehadsomethingtosaytoyou，butyougavehernoopportunity。“
“Andyou？“sheasked，“whatdoyouwishtosay？“
“Iwishtoadviseyou，“hesaid，“nottoleavethehotel。“
Shelookedathimdoubtfully。
“Youcannotunderstand，“shesaid，“whyIwishtoleaveit。I
havenoalternative。“
“Nevertheless，“hesaid，“Ihopethatyouwillchangeyourmind。“
“Areyouadetective？“sheaskedabruptly。
“Madamiscorrect！“
Theflushofcolourfadedfromhercheeks。
“Ipresume，then，“shesaid，“thatIamunderyoursurveillance？“
“Inasense，“headmitted，“itistrue。“
“Onthesteamer，“sheremarked，“youspokeasthoughyourinterestinmewasnotinimical。“
“Norisit，“heansweredpromptly。“Youareinadifficultposition，butyoumayfindthingsnotsobadasyouimagine。Atpresentmyadvicetoyouisthis:Goupstairstoyourroomandstaythere。“
Thelittlemanhadacompellingmanner。Lucillemadeherwaytowardstheelevator。
“Asamatteroffact，“shemurmuredbitterly，“Iamnot，Isuppose，permittedtoleavethehotel？“
“Madamputsthematterbluntly，“heanswered；“butcertainlyifyoushouldinsistuponleaving，itwouldbemydutytofollowyou。“
Sheturnedawayfromhimandenteredtheelevator。Thedoorofherroomwasslightlyajar，andshesawthatawaiterwasbusyatasmallroundtable。Shelookedathiminsurprise。Hewasarrangingplacesfortwo。
“Whogaveyouyourorders？“sheasked。
“Butitwasmonsieur，“themananswered，withalowbow。“Dinnerfortwo。“
“Monsieur？“sherepeated。“Whatmonsieur？“
“Iamtheculprit，“afamiliarvoiceansweredfromthedepthsofaneasy-chair，whosebackwastoher。“Iwasveryhungry，anditoccurredtomethatunderthecircumstancesyouwouldprobablynothavedinedeither。IhopethatyouwilllikewhatIhaveordered。
Theplovers’eggslookde
