“What!” cried Dunbar, “you are going to risk yourself alone in that place again?”

“I have paid a very heavy fee,” replied the Frenchman with his odd smile, “and it entitles me to a second visit; I shall pay that second visit on Tuesday night, and my danger will be no greater than on the first occasion.”

“But Soames may betray you!”

“Fear nothing; I have measured my Soames, not only anthropologically, but otherwise.  I fear only his folly, not his knavery.  He will not betray me.  Morbleu! he is too much a frightened man.  I do not know what has taken place; but I could see that, assured of escaping the police for complicity in the murder, he would turn King’s evidence immediately"...

“And you gave him that assurance?”

“At first I did not reveal myself.  I weighed up my man very carefully; I measured that Soames-pig.  I had several stories in readiness, but his character indicated which I should use.  Therefore, suddenly I arrested him!”

“Arrested him?”

“Pardieu!  I arrested him very quietly in a corner of the bar of ’Three Nuns’ public house.  My course was justified.  He saw that the reign of his mysterious Mr. King was nearing its close, and that I was his only hope"...

“But still he refused"...

“His refusal to reveal anything whatever under those circumstances impressed me more than all.  It showed me that in Mr. King I had to deal with a really wonderful and powerful man; a man who ruled by means of fear; a man of gigantic force.  I had taken the pattern of the key fitting the Yale lock of the door of my room, and I secured a duplicate immediately.  Soames has not access to the keys, you understand.  I must rely upon my diplomacy to secure the same room again—­all turns upon that; and at an hour after midnight, or later if advisable, Soames has agreed to let me out.  Beyond this, I could induce him to do nothing—­nothing whatever.  Cochon!  Therefore, having got out of the locked room, I must rely upon my own wits—­and the Browning pistol which I have presented to Soames together with the duplicate key"...

“Why not go armed?” asked Dunbar.

“One’s clothes are searched, my dear Inspector, by an expert!  I have given the key, the pistol, and the implements of the house-breaker (a very neat set which fits easily into the breast-pocket) to Soames, to conceal in his private room at the establishment until Tuesday night.  All turns upon my securing the same apartment.  If I am unable to do so, the arrangements for the raid will have to be postponed.  Opium smokers are faddists essentially, however, and I think I can manage to pretend that I have formed a strange penchant for this particular cubiculum"...

“By whom were you introduced to the place?” asked Dunbar, leaning back against the table and facing the Frenchman.

“That I cannot in honor divulge,” was the reply; “but the representative of Mr. King who actually admitted me to the establishment is one Gianapolis; address unknown, but telephone number 18642 East.  Make a note of him, that Gianapolis.”