"I haven't time."

"But tell me what are the testimonies you have secured."

"It is not in my line of business to betray our movements. I am a regular detective and I have been a.s.signed to this case. I am determined to push through to some startling denouement."

The detective had already pushed through to a startling denouement. He had purposely lingered a long time at the dinner. The two young men had entered the place very late in the afternoon, and darkness was beginning to fall.

Jack only took a few moments to work a complete change in his appearance. He was down to active work and determined to move very fast.

While working his change our hero did not lose sight of the entrance to the hotel where he and Wagner had dined, and he had prepared for what is called a "lightning change." A few moments pa.s.sed and he saw Wagner leave the dining-room. He fell to the man's trail under his new guise.

He saw Wagner go to a district telegraph station, saw him write a note and dispatch a messenger with it, and he muttered:

"Aha! young man, I will watch you. Never mind the messenger, I reckon it is a case where the mountain will come to Mahomet."

Having dispatched his note Wagner issued forth and walked slowly along the street, but in a short time he returned to the restaurant where he had just dined, and Jack followed him in. The detective called a waiter and addressed him in Spanish. The waiter did not comprehend, and Jack made quite a scene in his efforts to make himself understood, and finally the head waiter approached the table. Wagner was interested in the scene, as the Spaniard was only a few feet distant, and he heard the waiter say to his chief:

"This gentleman is a Spaniard; he cannot speak English. I cannot make out what he says."

The head waiter knew a few words of Spanish and managed at length to take the supposed Spaniard's order, and the latter ordered quite an elaborate dinner. He had a purpose; he desired to make time. He did so; he sat there over an hour eating very slowly and reading a Spanish paper which he had drawn from his pocket, and soon a lady entered and approached the table where Wagner sat. She said as she joined the baron:

"I received your hurried message; what has occurred?"

As the woman spoke she turned and glanced at the supposed Spaniard, and Wagner said:

"You need not fear him; he is Spanish; cannot speak a word of English.

It is lucky he is there, as unconsciously he will protect us from other neighbors, and I have a great deal to say."

"Order some wine. I am greatly disconcerted and alarmed. Your note was so urgent."

"Necessarily urgent; I have the most startling information."

The man spoke in a low tone, but there were acute ears near by, and our hero distinctly overheard every word that was spoken.

"You have received startling information?"

"I have."

"In what direction?"

"As concerns Amalie."

"Well?"

"A detective is employed to work on the case."

"A detective is employed?"

"Yes."

"I thought the affair had dropped from public notice.'

"On the contrary, I know personally the detective who is employed. He is _not a very smart man_, but he is energetic and persistent. He told me that evidence had been procured that Amalie had been murdered."

The woman laughed in a disdainful manner and replied:

"We know better."

"Certainly we do, but an investigation in that direction has already stirred up other suspicions."

"What other suspicions?"

"Suspicions that may lead to the most perilous consequences to us."

"Consequences to us?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"In the first place it is known that Amalie is an heiress."

"Impossible!"

"It is true, and more."

"What more?"

"There are those who suspect that she still lives."

CHAPTER VII.

A MEETING WITH THE BARON--STARTLING DISCLOSURES--AGAIN THE SPANISH MILLIONAIRE--SHADOWING DOWN FOR A CHAIN OF STEEL--THE DRAFT--A TRIUMPHANT TRICK--A DENOUEMENT TO COME.

The woman gave a start and also uttered an exclamation that was very significant under all the circ.u.mstances, and after an interval she added:

"This is all very strange."

"Yes, it is all very strange."

"How on earth any one could have _learned about that fortune_ is a mystery to me."

Here was an admission that made our hero almost start and utter an exclamation himself, and if the woman's remark meant what he had reason to believe it did, once again had he given proof of his wonderful acuteness.

"It is not more wonderful, _mother_, than the way we found it out."