follow her. Every one will believe that they left London
together. That is all that is required."

Lady Carey re-entered the house. The Prince made his way into the
gardens. Ten minutes passed--a quarter of an hour. Then Lady Carey with
Lucille reappeared, and stepping quickly into the victoria were driven
away. The Prince drew a little sigh of relief. He looked at his watch,
called a hansom, and drove to his club for lunch.

Another man, who had also been watching Dorset House from the gardens
for several hours, also noted Lucille's advent with relief. He followed
the Prince out and entered another hansom.

"Follow that victoria which has just driven off," he ordered. "Don't
lose sight of it. Double fare."

The trap-door fell, and the man whipped up his horse.

CHAPTER XXXVI

Mr. Sabin received an early visitor whilst still lingering over a slight
but elegant breakfast. Passmore seated himself in an easy-chair and
accepted the cigar which his host himself selected for him.

"I am glad to see you," Mr. Sabin said. "This affair of Duson's remains
a complete mystery to me. I am looking to you to help me solve it."

The little man with the imperturbable face removed his cigar from his
mouth and contemplated it steadfastly.

"It is mysterious," he said. "There are circumstances in connection
with it which even now puzzle me very much, very much indeed. There are
circumstances in connection with it also which I fear may be a shock to
you, sir."

"My life," Mr. Sabin said, with a faint smile, "has been made up of
shocks. A few more or less may not hurt me."

"Duson," the detective said, "was at heart a faithful servant!"

"I believe it," Mr. Sabin said.

"He was much attached to you!"

"I believe it."

"It is possible that unwittingly he died for you."

Mr. Sabin was silent. It was his way of avoiding a confession of
surprise. And he was surprised. "You believe then," he said, after a
moment's pause, "that the poison was intended for me?"

"Certainly I do," the detective answered. "Duson was, after all, a
valet, a person of little importance. There is no one to whom his
removal could have been of sufficient importance to justify such extreme
measures. With you it is different."

Mr. Sabin knocked the ash from his cigarette.

"Why not be frank with me, Mr. Passmore?" he said. "There is no need
to shelter yourself under professional reticence. Your connection with
Scotland Yard ended, I believe, some