Had I seen him myself, I would have settled that point in a moment, because he often came here to visit Mr.de Courtois." "Indeed! That is very interesting, most decidedly interesting." "Are you quite certain that what you are saying is correct?
Mr.
Hunter, the murdered man, was acquainted with Monsieur de Courtois ?" The question came from the Earl of Valletort, whose angry bewilderment had suddenly given place to a gravity of demeanor that was significant of the serious complications involved in the clerk's statement.
Poor Krantz could have bitten his tongue for its too free wagging.

He was thoroughly tired, and had intended to go to his room at the earliest moment and repair damages by a long night's rest.

Now, to all appearance, he had unwittingly reopened the whole wretched imbroglio.
But there was no help for it.

Having put his hand to the plow he was obliged to turn the furrow.
"Yes, my lord, positive," he said between his teeth.
"Ah!" Schmidt was beginning to think that the amazing marriage promised to develop into a _cause celebre_.

"In that event, it becomes essential, indeed, I may say imperative, that his lordship and I should interview Monsieur de Courtois without delay." "Sorry, sir," said the clerk, desperately availing himself of the detective's instructions, "but Mr.Steingall left orders that no one should be permitted to visit Mr.de Courtois to-night." "Left orders?
Is the man in this hotel ?" "Oh, yes, I was aware of that all the time," put in the Earl.