Madame Beranger on the steps of the Casino as I came out that night, he
passed me carrying that stick. Indeed, he is seldom without it. By means
of that disguised rifle I was shot!"

"But you speak of Cataldi. How can he know?"

"When I entered the house I told him quickly that I believed Howell was
following me. I ordered him to watch. This no doubt he did. He has ever
been faithful to me."

"Buy why should Howell have attempted to fix his guilt upon Mr.
Henfrey?" asked The Sparrow. "In doing so he was defeating his own aims.
If Mr. Henfrey were sent to prison he could not marry Louise Lambert,
and if he had married Louise he would have benefited Howell! Therefore
the whole plot was nullified."

"Exactly, m'sieur. Howell attempted to kill me in order to preserve his
secret, fearing that if I told Mr. Henfrey the truth he would inform the
police of the circumstances of his father's assassination. In making the
attempt he defeated his own ends--a fact which he only realized when too
late!"

CONCLUSION

The foregoing is perhaps one of the most remarkable stories of the
underworld of Europe.

Its details are set down in full in three big portfolios in the archives
of the Surete in Paris--where the present writer has had access to them.

In that bald official narrative which is docketed under the heading
"No. 23489/263--Henfrey" there is no mention of the love affair between
Dorise Ranscomb and Hugh Henfrey of Woodthorpe.

But the true facts are that within three days of Mademoiselle's recovery
of her mental balance, old Giulio Cataldi made a sworn statement to the
police at Nice, and in consequence two gendarmes of the Department of
Seine et Oise went one night to a small hotel at Provins, where they
arrested the Englishman, Shaw, alias Howell, who had gone there in what
he thought was safe hiding.

The arrest took place at midnight, but Howell, on being cornered in his
bedroom, showed fight, and raising an automatic pistol, which he had
under his pillow, shot and wounded one of the gendarmes. Whereupon his
companion drew his revolver in self-defence and shot the Englishman
dead.

Benton, a few months later, was sentenced to forced labour for fifteen
years, while his accomplice, Molly Bond, received a sentence of ten
years. Only one case--that of jewel robbery--was, however, proved
against her.

Dorise, about six weeks after Mademoiselle Yvonne's explanation, met
her in London, and there she and Hugh