ng him to one side with some
violence.

Mayer looked grave. "I have searched everything thoroughly. It is not
there."

The doctor muttered an oath. "The other--the old Frenchman?"

"He was arrested to-night on a charge of irregularity in his passport.
Nothing discovered. He will be released in the morning."

"_Teufel!_" The doctor swore excitedly in German. "Then the other
one--the one who was in charge of Seltz--he must have it."

"No. He also has been searched, with the same results."

"May I ask what you are looking for?" asked Duvall, calmly.

"You know, well enough, Duvall," exclaimed Mayer, turning on him. "Oh,
yes--I know your name. The examination of your baggage showed that. As
soon as I wired to London and discovered that the man Seltz had left
there last night, I knew how we had been fooled. One of our men saw the
snuff box in your possession just before you left the hotel to go to the
house of Mr. Phelps. What have you done with it?"

Duvall regarded his questioner calmly. "I do not know what you are
talking about, gentlemen. I have no snuff box, nor do I use tobacco in
that form. And now, if you have concluded this outrage upon an American
citizen, perhaps you will let me return quietly to my hotel. If you do
not, I promise you you shall pay heavily for it."

His words, for the moment, seemed to disconcert the two men. Then Mayer
laughed, "Nothing but bluff, young man--American bluff. I know who you
are. You followed Seltz here from London, and got the snuff box from him
by a trick. Now tell us where it is."

The detective smiled. "I do not know what you are talking about," he
said, quietly.

Dr. Hartmann growled out an oath. "Take off his things, Mayer. He may
have the box in his clothing somewhere--or the heel of his boot. I'll
get a dressing-gown, from above." He left the room, and Duvall heard him
clanking up the iron staircase.

"If you insist on removing my clothes," he said to Mayer, "I prefer to
do so myself." He rapidly stripped off his evening suit and shoes, and
threw them upon the floor.

The man gathered them up, feeling each article carefully, and testing
the heels of the boots with a knife which he drew from his pocket. He
appeared greatly disappointed at not finding the object of his search.
Then he again examined Duvall, feeling his person from head to toe with
great care. He had just finished when the doctor returned with a long
gray woolen dressing gown, which he tossed to