s of the French
law.

Advertise in the papers for one John Riviere from Paris, age
thirty-seven, staying at a hotel in the provinces on the 15th or 16th.
Offer a reward for information. The average Frenchman is very keen on
money; without a doubt he would answer the advertisement if he knew
anything of John Riviere. Advertise in _Le Petit Journal_, _Le Petit
Parisien_ and a few other dailies which cover France from end to end, as
no English or American journals do in their respective countries.

That was the right solution!

Larssen did not pay the cheque for L20,000 into his bank. He was after
big game, and a mere L20,000 was a jack-rabbit. It would be safer, he
felt, to let it lie amongst his secret papers.

When Sylvester, his private secretary, arrived by the afternoon train
from London, Lars Larssen placed him in touch with only so much of the
situation as he considered desirable. This was little. Sylvester was to
stay in Paris while the shipowner went on to Monte Carlo. If the various
advertisements brought a reply, Sylvester was to hunt out John Riviere
in whatever part of France he might be, and then communicate with Lars
Larssen for further orders.

The secretary was a quiet, self-contained, silent man of thirty or
thirty-one. A heavy dark moustache curtained expression from his lips.
Not only could he carry out orders to the letter, but he was to be
trusted to keep his head in any unforeseen emergency and act on his own
responsibility in a sound, common-sense way. But Lars Larssen trusted no
man beyond the essentials of any situation. His was the brain to plan
and direct. He preferred obedient tools to brilliant, independent
helpers.

At the train-side, Larssen gave a final direction to his subordinate:
"Keep me in touch with every move."

Back at his hotel, Sylvester occupied himself with the development of
some films he had taken on the Channel passage. In his hours of leisure
he was a devoted amateur photographer. At the present time there was
nothing to be done but wait the possible answer to the advertisement.

CHAPTER IX

AT MONTE CARLO

Next day, the wonderful panorama of the Riviera was unfolding itself
before the eyes of the shipowner. The red rocks and the dwarf pines of
the Esterel coves, against which an azure sea lapped in soft caress....
Cannes with its far-flung draperies of white villas.... The proud
solemnity of the Alpes Maritimes thrusting up to the snow-line and
glinti