"
Mr. Sabin smiled.
"It was perhaps judicious," he remarked, "though I am afraid it
proved of very little profit to you. And what about the present
time?"
"I see no harm in telling you, sir, that a general watch is kept
upon your movements. Duson was useful to us ... but now Duson
is dead."
"It is a fact," Mr. Sabin said impressively, "that Duson was a
genius. My admiration for him continually increases."
"Duson made harmless reports to us as we desired them," the
detective said. "I have an idea, however, that if this course had
at any time been inimical to your interests that Duson would have
deceived us."
"I am convinced of it," Mr. Sabin declared.
"And Duson is dead!"
Mr. Sabin nodded gravely.
The little hard-visaged man looked steadily for a moment upon the
carpet.
"Duson died virtually whilst accepting pay from if not actually
in the employ of our Secret Service Department. You will
understand, therefore, that we, knowing of this complication in
his life, naturally incline towards the theory of murder. Shall
I be taking a liberty, sir, if I give you an unprofessional word
of warning?"
Mr. Sabin raised his eyebrows.
"By no means," he answered. "But surely you cannot--"
The man smiled.
"No, sir," he said drily. "I do not for one moment suspect you.
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