Part 27 (1/2)
He drove to Cirey's cafe in Regent Street, where he dismissed the driver of his hansom and strolled in with the air of an habitue He selected a corner table, ordered some refreshment, and asked for a box of dominoes
The place was fairly well filled A feo their aperitif; here and there a man of affairs, on his way frolass of ver the type--recognizing, even, some of their faces Apparently, the person whoarette and smoked slowly Presently the door opened and a woe hat, and a thick veil She raised it to glance around, disclosing the unnaturally pale face and dark, swollen eyes of a certain type of Frenchwoman She seemed to notice no one in particular Her eyes traveled over Peter Ruff without any sign of interest Nevertheless, she took a seat somewhere near his and ordered some vermouth from the waiter, whom she addressed by name When she had been served and the waiter had departed, she looked curiously at the dohbor
”Monsieur plays do one of theame!”
Peter Ruff showed her a do with his hand--it was a double four She nodded, and moved froined,” Peter Ruff said, ”that it was a lady whom I was to meet”
”Monsieur is not disappointed, I trust?” she said, s ”If I talk banalities, Monsieur must pardon it Both the waiters here are spies, and there are always people atch Monsieur is ready to do us a service?”
”To the limits of my ability,” Peter Ruff answered ”Madame will remember that we are not in Paris; that our police system, if not so wonderful as yours, is still a closer and aThey have not the brains at Scotland Yard, but they are persistent--hard to escape”
”Do I not know it?” the woh theer”
”Do I know him?” Peter Ruff asked
”It is doubtful,” she answered ”Monsieur's stay in Paris was so brief
If Monsieur will recognize his name--it is Jean Lehtly
”I thought,” he said, with some hesitation, ”that Leuised,” the woht to be safe Nevertheless, it was a foolish thing They have tracked him down from hotel to apartments, till he lives now in the back room of a wretched little cafe in Soho Even froet him away--the whole district is watched by spies We need help”
”For a genius like Leht of Soho, was foolish He should have gone to Hampstead or Balham It is easy to fool our police if you kno On the other hand, they hang on to the scent like leeches when once they are on the trail How ainst Jean in this country?”
”Better not ask that,” the worimly ”You remember the raid on a private house in the Holloway Road, two years ago, when two policemen were shot and a spy was stabbed? Jean was in that--it is sufficient!”
”Are any plans made at all?” Peter Ruff asked
”But naturally,” the woman answered ”There is a arage in Putney If Jean can once reach it, he can reach the coast At a certain spot near Southa is easy”
”My task, then,” Peter Ruff said, thoughtfully, ”is to take Jean Leet hih,” she answered ”There is a cordon of spies around the district Every day they seem to chose in upon us They search the houses, one by one Only last night, the Hotel de Netherlands--a miserable little place on the other side of the street--was suddenly surrounded by policeht”
”In one hour's ti at his watch, ”I shall present myself as a doctor at the cafe Tell me the address Tell me what to say which will insure my admission to Jean Lemaitre!”
”The cafe,” she answered, ”is called the Hotel de Flandres You enter the restaurant and you walk to the desk There you find always Monsieur Antoine You say to him simply--'The Double-Four!' He will answer that he understands, and he will conduct you at once to Lemaitre”
Ruff nodded
”In the meantime,” he said, ”let it be understood in the cafe--if there is any one who is not in the secret--that one of the waiters is sick I shall cohtfully
”As well that way as any other,” she answered ”Monsieur is very kind A bientot!”
She shook hands and they parted Peter Ruff drove back to his rooe for a small covered car such as are usually let out towith the outfit necessary for his purpose Now that he was actually immersed in his work, the sense of depression had passed away The keen stier had quickened his blood He knew very well that the woerated There was no lish police than the ht his aid, and the district in which he had taken shelter was, in some respects, the very worst for his purpose
Nevertheless, Peter Ruff, who believed, at the bottom of his heart, in his star, went on with his preparations feeling morally certain that Jean Leht in his native land