Punctually at eight o'clock the following morning Wheeler presented
himself, and under the seal of secrecy I gave him a fair insight into
the Mystery. He was greatly excited, and said if I succeeded in
bringing the truth to light I was a made man. I was beginning to think
so myself, but I did not underrate the difficulties with which I had
to contend. I seemed to be pulled in so many ways at once, and to have
so many things to look after, that I saw the danger of wasting my time
upon matters of no importance and allowing the leading strings to slip
away from me. I was glad, therefore, to obtain the services of a man
upon whom I could rely, and as I deemed it imperatively necessary that
I should remain in London, I explained to Wheeler my desire that
Louis' body should be exhumed and identified, and asked him if he
thought he could manage it. He was confident he could; he had friends
among the Liverpool police who would do all in their power for him; he
laughed at the suggestion of the difficulties that might present
themselves, and declared he would carry out his mission even if he had
to dig up the body himself in the dead of night. Knowing Wheeler to be
a bit of a bulldog, and daring as well as tenacious, I was more than
satisfied with his assurances.
"You will have a surgeon with you," I said, "whose evidence will be
conclusive as to the scar on the forehead. I understand the bone was
penetrated. Everything must be done quickly, and above all the affair
must be kept out of the newspapers."
I laid special emphasis upon this, because I did not intend that the
game should be taken out of my hands. We settled upon an address in
Liverpool to which I could write or wire any further instructions that
might be necessary, and he went off in high spirits to catch the ten
o'clock train.
Before proceeding to my office I paid a visit to my dram-drinking
friend who had been cast off by Madame Lourbet. His name, which she
had renounced, was Whybrow. I passed her shop on the way, having no
fear that I would be recognized, and taking particular care not to rub
my chin with the middle finger of my right hand. I saw Madame Lourbet
behind the counter, and caught a glimpse of that confounded green
curtain. It is curious how one thing suggests another. The moment my
eyes fell upon the curtain an idea suggested itself which set me
laughing, and which proved to be perhaps the most important step in
the elucidation of the Mystery. I will not mention it in this place,
but I determined to act upon it later on if I considered it advisable.
Clever as Madame Lourbet was I hoped to show that I was one too many
for her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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