Such moments rarely endure. They pass, these mountain-heights of exaltation and emotion, but to have experienced them however briefly, to have loved a woman with such passion and pure fervour, leaves no man as he was before.
Van Ingen returned to the problem. She had bound herself to the count.
But Poltavo, according to the detective's theory, was the master-mind of the conspiracy. How, then, had he tricked her so completely? How had he gulled them all, he wondered savagely. Even his chief, the American ambassador, and a judge of men, had been completely fascinated by the charm of his personality, and would not hear a word against him.
As for women--he knew the silly ardent creatures went down like nine-pins before the smiling glance of his eyes and the unfailing courtesy of his manners. There was Lady Angela, the Duke of Manchester's daughter, a slender dryad-girl, with soft eyes and a halo of pale golden hair, whom the count had sketched upon a recent visit to their country-house, and whom, it was reported, he might have any day, for the asking.
"Why don't he ask her, then?" he growled aloud.
The detective, who lounged opposite him, warm coils of smoke ascending from his briar pipe, regarded him with humorous eyes.
"I don't follow you," he said. He glanced down at the open letter, which Van Ingen still held tightly in his hand.
Van Ingen reddened. "I--I beg your pardon!" he stammered. "I was thinking of Lady Angela."
The detective smoked on tranquilly, though it was apparent he did not get the connection. Van Ingen, however, vouchsafed no further explanation, and presently the conversation fell upon other things.
The next morning Cord had awakened greatly refreshed, and with his resolve strengthened to continue the investigation. In company with Smith, he had interviewed Sir George Calliper, and seen the tragic end of Moss. As they walked homeward in the cold air of the early morning, Cord speculated upon the manner of man was this Count Poltavo. Beside him, the detective pondered, grimly, the same problem.
Hyatt--the man on the Eiffel Tower--the Wady Barrage--the mysterious bears--what connection was there one with another?
"To ---- HYATT, A FRIEND OF THE LATE LEWIS MOSS