Part 7 (1/2)

”Then they found no weapon?” asked the young Englishman.

”No, m'sieur. There is no clue whatever to the a.s.sailant.”

”Curious that there should be no footmarks,” remarked Brock. ”Yet they found yours, Hugh.”

”Yes. The man must surely have left some trace outside!”

”One would certainly have thought so,” Brock said. ”I wonder if we may go into the room where the tragedy happened?” he asked of the servant.

”Certainly, m'sieur,” was the courteous reply, and he conducted them both into the apartment wherein Mademoiselle of Monte Carlo had been shot down.

”Did you accompany Mademoiselle when she went to London, Giulio?”

asked young Henfrey of the old Italian, after he had described to Brock exactly what had occurred.

”Yes, m'sieur,” he replied. ”I was at Cromwell Road for a short time.

But I do not care for London, so Mademoiselle sent me back here to look after the Villa because old Jean, the concierge, had been taken to the hospital.”

”When in London you knew some of Mademoiselle's friends, I suppose?”

”A few--only a few,” was the Italian's reply.

”Did you ever know a certain Mr. Benton?”

The old fellow shook his head blankly.

”Not to my knowledge, m'sieur,” he replied. ”Mademoiselle had really very few friends in London. There was a Mrs. Matthews and her husband, Americans whom she met here in Monte Carlo, and Sir George Cave-Knight, who died a few weeks ago.”

”Do you remember an elderly gentleman named Henfrey calling?” asked Hugh.

Old Cataldi reflected for a moment, and then answered:

”The name sounds familiar to me, m'sieur, but in what connexion I cannot recollect. That is your name, is it not?” he asked, remembering the card he had taken to his mistress.

”Yes,” Hugh replied. ”I have reason to believe that my late father was acquainted with your mistress, and that he called upon her in London.”

”I believe that a gentleman named Henfrey did call, because when I glanced at the card you gave me last night the name struck me as familiar,” the servant said. ”But whether he actually called, or whether someone at table mentioned his name I really cannot recollect.”

”Ah! That's a pity,” exclaimed Hugh with a sigh. ”As a matter of fact it was in order to make certain inquiries regarding my late father that I called upon Mademoiselle last night.”

Giulio Cataldi turned in pretence of rearranging a chair, but in reality to avert his face from the young man's gaze--a fact which Hugh did not fail to notice.

Had he really told the truth when he declared that he could not recollect his father calling?

”How long were you in London with Mademoiselle?” asked Henfrey.

”About six weeks--not longer.”

Was it because of some untoward occurrence that the old Italian did not like London, Hugh wondered.

”And you are quite sure that you do not recollect my father calling upon your mistress?”