"Had my journey for nothing."

"Wouldn't the old man tell anything?" asked Howell eagerly.

"Not a word," Benton replied. "But my firm opinion is that he himself
tried to kill Yvonne--that he shot her."

"Do you really agree with me?" gasped Howell excitedly. "Of course,
there has, all along, been a certain amount of suspicion against him.
The police were once on the point of arresting him. I happen to know
that."

"Well, my belief is that young Henfrey is innocent. I never thought so
until now."

"Then we must prove Cataldi guilty, and Henfrey can marry Louise,"
Howell said. "But the reason I wanted to get in touch with you is that
the police went to Shapley."

"To Shapley!" gasped Benton.

"Yes. They went there the night you left London. Evidently somebody has
given you away!"

"Given me away! Who in the devil's name can it be? If I get to know who
the traitor is I--I'll--by gad, I'll kill him. I swear I will!"

"Who knows? Some secret enemy of yours--no doubt. Molly has been
arrested and has been up at Bow Street. They also arrested Louise, but
there being no charge against her, she has been released. I've sent her
up to Cambridge--to old Mrs. Curtis. I thought she'd be quite quiet and
safe there for a time."

"But Molly arrested! What's the charge?"

"Theft. An extradition warrant from Paris. That jeweller's affair in the
Rue St. Honore, eighteen months ago."

"Well, I hope they won't bring forward other charges, or it will go
infernally bad with her. What has The Sparrow done?"

"He's abroad somewhere--but I've had five hundred pounds from an unknown
source to pay for her defence. I saw the solicitors. Brigthorne, the
well-known barrister, appeared for her."

"But all this is very serious, my dear Howell," Benton declared, much
alarmed.

"Of course it is. You can't marry the girl to young Henfrey until he is
proved innocent, and that cannot be until the guilt is fixed upon the
crafty old Giulio."

"Exactly. That's what we must do. But with Molly arrested we shall
be compelled to be very careful," said Benton, as they turned toward
Piccadilly Circus. "I don't see how we dare move until Molly is either
free or convicted. If she knew our game she might give us away. Remember
that if we bring off the Henfrey affair Molly has to have a share in the
spoils. But if she happens to be in a French prison she won't get much
chance--eh?"

"If she goes it will be ten years, without a doubt," Howell remar