Part 19 (1/2)

There was a quick knock at the door. The Prefect rose, and opened it; then turned to Grace with a grim smile. ”Your husband is waiting in the anteroom,” he whispered.

”But--what shall I do?”

”Wait in here.” Monsieur Lefevre opened the door which led to his private office. ”You can hear everything quite plainly. From what you tell me, I should not be surprised if he insisted upon your arrest at once.”

”It isn't fair to him. Poor Richard! I'm afraid he'll never forgive me for all this.”

”Nonsense! You are engaged in a very laudable attempt to recover Mrs.

Stapleton's child. So is he. Your interests are identical. Only,” he paused with a significant smile, ”from my standpoint, I should much prefer that the credit for the boy's recovery should belong to the police of Paris, of which you, for the time being, are one.”

Richard Duvall came into the Prefect's office, somewhat ill at ease. The room, familiar to him because of the events of the past, reminded him forcibly of Grace--who had, indeed been upon his mind constantly for the past few days. It was here, in this very room, that she had first told him that she loved him--during the exciting pursuit of Victor Girard, and the million francs. He gazed about at its familiar aspect, and sighed.

”Sit down, my dear Duvall,” said the Prefect, shaking hands with him warmly. ”What, may I ask, brings you to Paris, at the cost of interrupting your honeymoon? I had supposed that nothing could be of sufficient importance for that. In fact, had I known you would consider it for a moment, I should have cabled to you, to give me your a.s.sistance in a most trying case.”

”What case, Monsieur?”

”The mysterious kidnapping of the child of Monsieur Stapleton.”

”It is that very case that brings me to Paris. I am in Mr. Stapleton's employ.”

Monsieur Lefevre affected to be greatly surprised. ”Is it possible, _mon ami_? That is bad news indeed. This fellow Stapleton no longer has confidence in my office. He retains you to do that which he believes I shall fail to do. I am sorry, my dear Duvall, that we are on opposite sides of the fence.”

”But, Monsieur, I did not know that you wanted me. Mr. Stapleton is an old friend. I could not refuse to come to his a.s.sistance.”

Lefevre's eyes twinkled. ”Have you made any progress, then, my friend?”

”Yes. Tonight I put in operation a plan whereby I might identify an automobile containing the kidnappers, into which Mr. Stapleton had been directed to throw a package containing one hundred thousand dollars.”

”Indeed. You interest me. And did you succeed in identifying it?”

”I did. I stopped the car, at the Porte de Versailles. I knew it to be the one into which the money had been thrown. The car was driven by a man named Alphonse Valentin, whom I have every reason to suspect is concerned in this affair. Its only other occupant was a woman--whom I met last night in Valentin's rooms, and who brought Mr. Stapleton a message from the kidnappers. This woman is, I believe, at the bottom of the whole thing.”

”Indeed. And did you arrest her?”

”No. She claims to be an agent of your office. Vernet, who was at the gates at my request, refused to place her and her companion under arrest. She got away with Mr. Stapleton's money. I believe, Monsieur Lefevre, that you are being made a fool of by a member of your own staff.”

The Prefect leaned over, and picked up the package containing the money which lay upon his desk. ”I do not agree with you, my friend. Here is Monsieur Stapleton's money.”

Duvall started back in his chair, amazed. ”Good Lord, Chief, am I losing my senses? What is this affair, anyway, a joke?”

”Far from it, Monsieur Duvall. The criminals are still at large. The boy is in their hands. We must recover him.”

”But--this money--”

”I arranged to get it, in order to prevent Monsieur Stapleton from making a fool of himself. I wish to capture these men--not to let them blackmail him out of half a million francs.”

”Had you not interfered, Monsieur Lefevre, they would have been in my hands, by now. I would have had them safely the moment they attempted to enter Paris. I knew their car.”

The Prefect was filled with curiosity. ”How?” he asked.