a personal
admiration for his ability.

"I'll come to the point, then," I said, not a little nettled. "I am
still in the dark as to your reason for going to America. When you
left the Glandier you had found out, if I rightly understand, all about
Frederic Larsan; you had discovered the exact way he had attempted the
murder?"

"Quite so. And you," he said, turning the conversation, "did you suspect
nothing?"

"Nothing!"

"It's incredible!"

"I don't see how I could have suspected anything. You took great pains
to conceal your thoughts from me. Had you already suspected Larsan when
you sent for me to bring the revolvers?"

"Yes! I had come to that conclusion through the incident of the
'inexplicable gallery.' Larsan's return to Mademoiselle Stangerson's
room, however, had not then been cleared up by the eye-glasses. My
suspicions were the outcome of my reasoning only; and the idea of Larsan
being the murderer seemed so extraordinary that I resolved to wait for
actual evidence before venturing to act. Nevertheless, the suspicion
worried me, and I sometimes spoke to the detective in a way that ought
to have opened your eyes. I spoke disparagingly of his methods. But
until I found the eye-glasses I could but look upon my suspicion of him
in the light of an absurd hypothesis only. You can imagine my elation
after I had explained Larsan's movements. I remember well rushing into
my room like a mad-man and crying to you: 'I'll get the better of
the great Fred. I'll get the better of him in a way that will make a
sensation!'

"I was then thinking of Larsan, the murderer. It was that same evening
that Darzac begged me to watch over Mademoiselle Stangerson. I made no
efforts until after we had dined with Larsan, until ten o'clock. He was
right there before me, and I could afford to wait. You ought to have
suspected, because when we were talking of the murderer's arrival, I
said to you: 'I am quite sure Larsan will be here to-night.'

"But one important point escaped us both. It was one which ought to
have opened our eyes to Larsan. Do you remember the bamboo cane? I was
surprised to find Larsan had made no use of that evidence against Robert
Darzac. Had it not been purchased by a man whose description tallied
exactly with that of Darzac? Well, just before I saw him off at the
train, after the recess during the trial, I asked him why he hadn't used
the cane evidence. He told me he had never had any intention of doing
so;