Part 34 (1/2)

His friend, who had introduced himself as Monsieur de Founcelles, smiled.

”But why not?” he asked. ”Ah, but I think I understand!” he added, almost immediately. ”You are English, Monsieur Peter Ruff, and in some respects you have not moved with the times. Confess, now, that your idea of a secret society is a collection of strangely attired men who meet in a cellar, and build subterranean pa.s.sages in case of surprise. In Paris, I think, we have gone beyond that sort of thing. We of the 'Double-Four'

have no headquarters save the drawing-room of Madame; no hiding-places whatsoever; no meeting-places save the fas.h.i.+onable cafes or our own reception rooms. The police follow us--what can they discover?--nothing!

What is there to discover?--nothing! Our lives are lived before the eyes of all Paris. There is never any suspicion of mystery about any of our movements. We have our hobbies, and we indulge in them. Monsieur the Marquis de Sogrange here is a great sportsman. Monsieur le Comte owns many racehorses. I myself am an authority on pictures, and own a collection which I have bequeathed to the State. Paris knows us well as men of fas.h.i.+on and mark--Paris does not guess that we have perfected an organization so wonderful that the whole criminal world pays toll to us.”

”Dear me,” Peter Ruff said, ”this is very interesting!”

”We have a trained army at our disposal,” Monsieur de Founcelles continued, ”who numerically, as well as in intelligence, outnumber the whole force of gendarmes in Paris. No criminal from any other country can settle down here and hope for success, unless he joins us. An exploit which is inspired by us cannot fail. Our agents may count on our protection, and receive it without question.”

”I am bewildered,” Peter Ruff said, frankly. ”I do not understand how you gentlemen--whom one knows by name so well as patrons of sport and society, can spare the time for affairs of such importance.”

Monsieur de Founcelles nodded.

”We have very valuable aid,” he said. ”There is below us--the 'Double-Four'--the eight gentlemen now present, an executive council composed of five of the shrewdest men in France. They take their orders from us. We plan, and they obey. We have imagination, and special sources of knowledge. They have the most perfect machinery for carrying out our schemes that it is possible to imagine. I do not wish to boast, Mr. Ruff, but if I take a directory of Paris and place after any man's name, whatever his standing or estate, a black cross, that man dies before seven days have pa.s.sed. You buy your evening paper--a man has committed suicide! You read of a letter found by his side: an unfortunate love affair--a tale of jealousy or reckless speculation. Mr.

Ruff, the majority of these explanations are false. They are invented and arranged for by us. This year alone, five men in Paris, of position, have been found dead, and accounted, for excellent reasons, suicides.

In each one of these cases, Monsieur Ruff, although not a soul has a suspicion of it, the removal of these men was arranged for by the'

Double-Four.'”

”I trust,” Peter Ruff said, ”that it may never be my ill-fortune to incur the displeasure of so marvelous an a.s.sociation.”

”On the contrary, Monsieur Ruff,” the other answered, ”the attention of the a.s.sociation has been directed towards certain incidents of your career in a most favorable manner. We have spoken of you often lately, Mr. Ruff, between ourselves. We arrive now at the object for which we begged the honor of your visit. It is to offer you the Presidency of our Executive Council.”

Peter Ruff had thought of many things, but he had not thought of this!

He gasped, recovered himself, and realized at once the dangers of the position in which he stood.

”The Council of Five!” he said thoughtfully.

”Precisely,” Monsieur de Founcelles replied. ”The salary--forgive me for giving such prominence to a matter which you doubtless consider of secondary importance--is ten thousand pounds a year, with a residence here and in London--also servants.”

”It is princely!” Peter Ruff declared. ”I cannot imagine, Monsieur, how you could have believed me capable of filling such a position.”

”There is not much about you, Mr. Ruff, which we do not know,” Monsieur de Founcelles answered. ”There are points about your career which we have marked with admiration. Your work over here was rapid and comprehensive. We know all about your checkmating the Count von Hern and the Comtesse de Pilitz. We have appealed to you for aid once only--your response was prompt and brilliant. You have all the qualifications we desire. You are still young, physically you are sound, you speak all languages, and you are unmarried.”

”I am what?” Peter Ruff asked, with a start.

”A bachelor,” Monsieur de Founcelles answered. ”We who have made crime and its detection a life-long study, have reduced many matters concerning it to almost mathematical exact.i.tude. Of one thing we have become absolutely convinced--it is that the great majority of cases in which the police triumph are due to the treachery of women. The criminal who steers clear of the other s.e.x escapes a greater danger than the detectives who dog his heels. It is for that reason that we choose only unmarried men for our executive council.”

Peter Ruff made a gesture of despair. ”And I am to be married in a month!” he exclaimed.

There was a murmur of dismay. If those other seven men had not once intervened, it was because the conduct of the affair had been voted into the hands of Monsieur de Founcelles, and there was little which he had left unsaid. Nevertheless, they had formed a little circle around the two men. Every word pa.s.sing between them had been listened to eagerly.

Gestures and murmured exclamations had been frequent enough. There arose now a chorus of voices which their leader had some difficulty in silencing.

”It must be arranged!”

”But it is impossible--this!”

”Monsieur Ruff amuses himself with us!”