Part 5 (2/2)
”What next?”
”I went along the river bank for a couple of miles with my parcel until I came to some other suburb, and then I caught a cab to the Arc de Triomphe, and there I took another cab to here.”
”The workman's boots?”
”After I changed back to my ordinary boots, I threw them in the river, as you told me to.”
”They sank?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Anything else?”
”Nothing else worth reporting, I think.... Do you recognize this coat and stick as belonging to Mr Matheson, sir?”
Lars Larssen nodded non-committally, and ordered the young fellow to get a trunk telephone call through to Sir Francis Letchmere at Monte Carlo.
Dean had already found out that he was staying at the Hotel des Hesperides.
But when the telephone connexion had been made, it was Olive who answered from the other end of the wire:--
”This is Mrs Matheson. Who is speaking?”
”Mr Larssen. I want Sir Francis Letchmere.”
”He's out just now. Shall I take your message?”
”Have you heard yet from your husband?”
”No. Why?”
”He's off to Canada. I thought he would have wired you.”
”That's just like Clifford!” There was an angry sharpness in the voice over the wire.
”I reckon he was in too much of a hurry. It's in connexion with the Hudson Bay scheme--you know about that?”
”Yes. Has anything gone wrong with it?” Now there was anxiety in the voice.
”A new situation has arisen. Your husband suggested to me that he had better hurry across the pond and straighten up matters.” Larssen lowered his voice. ”Somebody in the Canadian Government wants oiling. Of course he will have to work the affair very quietly.”
”It's too annoying! Clifford had promised me faithfully to come on to Monte by to-night's train. I wanted him here.”
”That's rough on you!”
”What message did you wish to give to my father?”
”About the Hudson Bay deal. I want to meet Sir Francis and talk business.”
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