Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-22

discussing your most private affairs at the din
ner table: the people who wait upon You hear
and remember. However, this is beating about
the bush. | have something to tell you as the
result of the inquiry that has been made since
you we're last in this room"
You have discovered the identity Of Morel
and Duverdier?" exclaimed Florestan. eagerly.
Not conclusively. but we have discovered
that Duverdier is a man of the worst possible
reputation-to have escaped deportation to
New Caledonia. We have discovered that on
the strength of good looks and consummate
audacity he has managed to live for the last
seven years in Madrid and in Paris. OF course
what we know of him in Spain is at present
only at second hand; there has been no time
for any direct inquiries in Madrid. We cannot
hear anything about him before he was known
to the Spanish police as an adventurer and
under suspicion OF having been concerned in a
great jewel robbery at Madrid six years ago. 1
have dispatched my agent to that city and he
may be able to get more details on the SPOT
In the meantime there is one fact that tells
strongly against NJ. Leon Duverdier."
''He has made off. He has scented danger.
believe, and has disappeared from Paris
before he could be asked any inconvenient
questions"
lis that really SOP"
''les. After had read the account of the
Denmark street murder had desire to look
~ this DdverdIer whom you take for Morel |
was told that he occupied an apartment -on the
Qnal des brands Augustus, so put on one of
the numerous DISCUSSES in which / nav visits of
TINS KIND. and IN the character of a septuagen-
arlan sayant sailed forth to call upon the expert
mentallst and inventor l know enough of
chemistry 20 sustain conversation with as
shallow scientist as take Duverdier to be-
However. my capacity in this line was not
put to the test The concierge informed me
that NJ. Duverdier had left for Brussels upon
the previous evening and that he had no idea
when he would return. He had left the key
OF his apartment with the concierge, and on
being requested the man went upstairs with me
and allowed me to investigate the deserted
rooms"
Ibid you make any dIscoveries?"
Nothing OF an discriminating nature. Two
OF the rooms are furnished with a snowy vu-
garlty which bespeaks the tiger-velvet and
gliding. photographs OF actresses and dem-
mondaInes. great display OF pipes, foils and
boxing gloves. A third and larger room is
htted roughly as a laboratory and bears indica-
tons OF recent experiments. / asked the con-
clerge If VI. Duverdiers departure had been
long in contemplation, and he told me that the
first he had heard of the intended journey was
the order for cab to take Duverder and his
portmanteau to the station. He gave no date
for his return. bat SAID that he should not be
long absent and begged the man to look after
his rooms while he away. The concierge
doubted If any of the furniture had been paid
for and anticipated descent of the sheriff
during the tenants absence"
Dlu ou near an! lHlllS Oh DuVerQlers naD-
its?'
Nothing to distinguish him from the COM
mon run of prohigates and spurious savants
Late hours and importunate creditors; occa-
slonal visits from mysterious women who came
closely yelled and stunned observation; rare
intervals of seclusIon and hard work in the
laboratory. l could see that he was not a
favOrite with the concierge, and that if there
had been anything damaging to tell about him
the man would have told it,"
HE has been warned by his sister," said
Florestan. after thoughtful silence. Il
showed my cards too soon"
He told VI. CrefOnt. the police agent of his
interview with Louise Marcel.
Yes. that was mistake-although the
interview may have gone far to confirm your
suspicion. No doubt she told her brother that
you were on the scent and Morel alias DIVER
dler has disappeared for an indefinite period
He would have no hesitation in leaving a city
where he was deeply dipped and which he
might not be allowed to leave if he fingered
much longer"
There was no more to be said. Whatever
ideas VI. CrefOnt had to the possibility of
any satisfactory solution OF the mystery of Rob-
ert Hatrelrs murder he did not impart them to
Florestan, but SIMPLY took that gentleman's
check Tor the expenses incurred In the Inquiries
and Investigations that had been made at his
request and said that for the rest time would
show.
If this Duverdier is as black villain AZ Won
believe him to be, or. in other words, if he is
the Denmark street murderer, he will be sure
To put his neck under the knife No such man
stops at single crime"
He is a man to be watched, them" said Flor
estan.
Yes, he is man to be watched and be-
heve ne VIII prove man worth watching"