e. The whole
business reads like a chapter out of one of Gaboriau's novels."

"That is the way people live in Paris, my dear fellow. Life is an
artificial matter here. But all this excitement has made me hungry. Let
us have _dejeuner_."

CHAPTER X.

ON GUARD

On their way to the hotel, Brett, yielding apparently to a momentary
impulse, stopped the cab at a house in the Rue du Chaussee d'Antin.
Without any explanation to Lord Fairholme he disappeared into the
interior, and did not rejoin his companion for nearly ten minutes.

"It is perhaps not of much use," he explained on his return, "but I do
not like to leave any stone unturned. The man I have just called on is a
well-known private detective, and I can trust him to look after my
business without taking the police into his confidence. Two of his
smartest agents will maintain a close watch on both the Cabaret Noir and
No. 11, Rue Barbette, during the afternoon."

"You do not seem to expect much result?"

"No; we are tracking some of the most expert and daring criminals in
France. It is hopeless to expect them to provide us with clues; they
simply won't do it. No one but a genius in criminality would have risked
such a dramatic move as the personation of Jack Talbot, or dared to put
in an open appearance at the Grand Hotel. So my agents here can only
hope, at the best, to get sight of any messenger or assistant scoundrel
who may turn up at either of the places indicated."

"May we expect to be busy to-night?"

Brett did not answer at once. It was evident that whilst he rattled on
in a careless strain his active brain was busily employed in discounting
the future.

"I hope so," he said at last. "Of course I cannot tell. Our only chance
is that we may be able to guess the course of the hidden trail. If
to-night does not yield us some information, our chances of solving the
mystery will be remote, in which case we may as well abandon the quest."

This faint-hearted reply naturally surprised Lord Fairholme
considerably. To his mind, a considerable measure of success had already
been achieved, and he utterly failed to understand why his friend should
take such a pessimistic view of affairs at the very moment when they
appeared to be opening up somewhat. Brett noted the Earl's perplexity,
and smiled with genial deprecation.

"Do not be afraid, Fairholme; I will liberate Mr. Talbot and clear his
name so effectually that all difficulties will disappear fr