w
nothing whatever about the snuff box, and Seltz might even now be on his
way to Brussels to dispose of it, in accordance with his original
intentions. If so, however, why had he informed Monsieur Perrier that he
had changed his mind, and would not take the vacation he had requested?
Was this merely a blind, to avert suspicion, in case the unexpected
murder of the man Noel resulted in inquiries being made of Monsieur
Perrier? Of course, when Seltz had spoken of his intention to go to
Brussels, no thought of murder was in his mind--he had no vital object
in hiding his movements--not having any reason to suppose that suspicion
could possibly be attracted to him. After the sending of the note to him
by Noel, he must have realized the danger of his position, and told
Monsieur Perrier that his plans had changed, while in reality fully
intending to carry them out as he had originally intended.

There was, of course, a possible third solution, namely, that Seltz had
nothing to do with the murder at all, and was merely an innocent barber,
quite unaware of all the mystery that was being woven about himself and
his movements. In that event, as Duvall realized with the deepest
chagrin, he would be obliged to return to London, and begin his
investigations all over again. In this event, there could be but one
starting point--the murder of the valet. Yet his painstaking examination
of the scene of the murder had shown an utter absence of any clues. Even
the weapon which had caused the valet's death was his own property--the
finger print on the seal which closed his lips made with his own
forefinger. And here the detective began to feel a deep sense of doubt
as to the accuracy of his conclusions regarding Seltz's guilt. Would a
man of his type have taken the trouble to place the gruesome seal upon
the dead man's lips? This seemed, on second thoughts, the act of a
hardened and unfeeling criminal--a man to whom murder was a scientific
accomplishment, not a hasty and hideous crime. Was Seltz such a man?
There was no answer to this question--the fleeting glimpses which Duvall
had secured of his face, through the barber-shop window, had told him
little or nothing of the man's character.

One fact, however, presently forced itself upon the detective's mind. If
Seltz had left the shop for Brussels that night, according to his
original intention, he must be somewhere on the boat. No night route
from London to Belgium existed, except that by