"It would best suit my purpose if I met him as a political sympathiser." Gaultier evidently did not like the idea. Foreign Office messengers do not care to be associated with politics in any shape or form. "Is there no other way?" he asked dubiously. "Plenty," said Brett. "I might pose as a friend of yours interested in Turkish carpets, or coffee, or cigarettes, but for the purpose of my inquiry it would be well to jump preliminaries at once and make this chance acquaintance under the guise of a wire-puller." "All right," said Gaultier. "I don't see that it matters much to me, and the letter you have in your possession from the Under-Secretary is sufficient warrant for me to give you any assistance that lies in my power." He glanced at his watch. "It is just about time for _déjeûner_," he continued. "What do you say if we drive to the Rue Barbette at once?" The barrister assented, and they were soon crossing Paris with the superb disregard for other people's feelings that characterises the local cab-driver. "By the way," inquired Gaultier, "have you learned anything else since your arrival?" "Only this--it was not our friend Talbot who came here on Tuesday with a lady." "You are sure?" "Positive. I have compared the handwriting in the hotel register with a letter undoubtedly written by Mr. Talbot, and the two do not agree. The entry 'Mr. and Mrs. Talbot, London,' in the visitors' book of the Grand Hotel, was a mere trick intended to amuse the police for a few hours until the conspirators had perfected their scheme for final and complete disappearance." "It was a bold move." "Very. Quite in keeping with the rest of the details of an uncommon crime." At last the _fiacre_ stopped in front of the house in the Rue Barbette which Brett had already scrutinized during the early hours of the morning. "Here we are," said Gaultier with a laugh. "If we find Hussein-ul-Mulk at home I don't know what the deuce we are going to say to him. Remember that I depend on you to carry out a difficult situation, because my Turkish friend will become suspicious the minute he finds me dabbling in intrigue. He knows full well that such matters are quite outside of my usual business." "I think I will be able to interest him," said Brett calmly; and without further preliminary Gaultier ascertained from the _concierge_ that the Turkish gentleman was within. The two men ascended to the second storey. Gaultier rapped loudly on the first door he encountered, and the summons appeared to scatter some of the inhabitants, judging by the rapid opening and closing of doors that preceded the appearance of an elderly and solemn-looking Turk, who cautiously demanded their business. Gaultier sent in his card, and the servitor locked the door in the faces of the two men while he went to ascertain his master's orders. "They evidently do not mean to take many risks," said the King's messenger in a low voice.