crime, there was
another person, at least, as intimately concerned in it. And he, too,
had fled.

Where was the man who had brought this woman to this house? How was it
possible to account for his absence except by the conclusion that he was
the murderer?

That was the first and most natural explanation. Whether it was the true
one or not, the man must be found.

Nick turned to Gaspard. The head waiter had sunk down on a chair by the
table and seemed prostrated.

From previous experience Nick knew Gaspard to be a man without nerve,
and he was not surprised to find him prostrated by this sudden shock.

There was a bottle of champagne standing in ice beside the table. The
detective opened it and made Gaspard drink a glass of the sparkling
liquor.

It put a little heart into the man, and he was able to answer questions.

Nick, meanwhile, closed the door of the room. Apparently the tragedy was
known only to Gaspard and himself and to the guilty authors of it.

"Did you see this woman when she came in?" asked Nick.

"No."

"Who showed her and the man with her to this room?"

"Corbut."

"Who waited on them?"

"Corbut."

"Who waited on the people in room A?"

"Corbut."

"They are gone, I suppose?"

"Yes; I looked in there before I came in here."

"Did you see any of these people?"

"I saw the two men."

"How did that happen?"

"One of them came out into the hall to call Corbut, who had not answered
the bell quick enough."

"Which one was that?"

"The man in room A."

"How do you know?"

"Because I saw the other man, later, coming out of room B."

"This room?"

"Yes."

"You are sure of that?"

"Perfectly."

"Did he see you?"'

"I think not. I was standing right at the corner of the two halls. The
man came out and glanced around, but I stepped back quickly, because we
do not like to appear to spy upon our guests. He did not see me."

"What did he do?"

"He went out the front way. I supposed the lady went with him, for I was
sure that I heard the rustling of her dress."

"Where was Corbut then?"

"In room A."

"How long did he stay there?"

"Only a minute. I went back to the desk, and then was called by a waiter
upstairs. Just as I turned to go I saw Corbut coming through the hall."

"Did you speak to him?"

"Yes; I called to him to stay by the desk while I went upstairs."

"Did he answer?"

"Yes; he said 'very well.'"

"And that's the last you saw of him?"

"Yes."