I said. "I am suspicious of the
man--and I want to ask you a few questions concerning him."

"As many as you like," he returned. "I cannot say, however, that I know
very much about him. He has been up the country, and only returned to
Brisbane yesterday."

"Is this the first occasion on which he has stayed here?"

"No," the manager replied. "He was here nearly a month ago for a couple
of nights, and he had had his room reserved for him while he was away."

"Perhaps you can tell me if he slept here on the night of July the
nineteenth?"

"If you will excuse me for a moment I can soon let you know," said the
manager, and then crossed the room to go into an outer office. A few
moments later he returned and nodded his head. "Yes, he slept here that
night, and went to Toowoomba next day."

"One more question, and then I have done. Did you happen to notice that
night, or before he left next day, whether he had hurt his left hand?"

"It's strange that you should speak of that," said the manager. "He had
cut his left hand rather badly with a broken glass, so he told us. We
gave him some sticking-plaster to do it up with."

"That will do beautifully," I said. "And now perhaps you will add to the
kindness you have already done me by letting me see the gentleman in
question. I don't want to speak to him, but I want to impress his
countenance upon my mind."

"Why not go into lunch?" the manager inquired. "You will then be able to
study him to your heart's content, without his being any the wiser.
You're not in uniform, and no one would take you for a detective."

"An excellent idea," I replied. "By the way, while I am upon the
subject, I suppose I can rely upon your saying nothing about the matter
to him, or to any one else?"

"You may depend upon me implicitly," he answered. "I should be scarcely
likely to do so, for my own sake. I trust the matter is not a very
serious one. I should not like to have any scandal in the hotel."

"Well, between ourselves," I observed, "I am afraid it is rather a
serious affair. But you may be sure I will do all I can to prevent your
name or the hotel's being mixed up in it."

Then, as he had proposed, I followed him into the dining-room and took
my place at a small table near the window. At that adjoining me, a tall,
swarthy individual, with close-cropped hair, an Italian without doubt,
was seated. He glanced at me as I took my place, and then continued his
meal as if he were unaware o