‘It is, of course, obvious, monsieur, as you point out, that any one could have typed a letter ending with your name. But you will admit it is equally obvious that only a person who knew of your entering the lottery could have written it. You tell us you are not that person, and we fully accept your statement. Who else then, M. Le Gautier, had this information?’ ‘As far as that goes, any one who was present at the discussion at the Toisson d’Or.’ ‘Quite so. Hence you will see the importance of my questions as to who these were.’ M. Le Gautier paced slowly up and down the room, evidently thinking deeply. ‘I don’t know that I do,’ he said at last. ‘Suppose everything in that letter was true. Suppose, for argument’s sake, I had written it. What then? What business of the police is it? I can’t see that the law has been broken.’ Lefarge smiled. ‘That ought to be clear enough, anyway. Look at the facts. A cask arrives in London by the I. and C. boat from Rouen, labelled to a man named Felix at the certain address. Inquiries show that no one of that name lives at that address. Further, the cask is labelled “Statuary,” but examination shows that it does not contain statuary, but money, sovereigns. Then a man representing himself as Felix appears, states he lives at the false address, which is untrue, says he is expecting by that boat a cask of statuary, which is also untrue, and claims the one in question. The steamer people, being naturally suspicious, will not give it up, but by a trick Felix gets hold of it, and takes it to quite another address. When questioned by the police he produces this letter to account for his actions. I do not think it surprising that we are anxious to learn who wrote the letter, and if its contents are true.’ ‘No, no, of course it is reasonable. I did not understand the sequence of events. All the same, it is the most extraordinary business I ever heard of.’ ‘It is strange, certainly. Tell me, M. Le Gautier, have you ever had any disagreement with Mr. Felix? Can you imagine him having, or thinking he had, any cause of offence against you?’ ‘Nothing of the kind.’ ‘You never gave him cause, however innocently, to feel jealousy?’ ‘Never. But why do you ask?’ ‘I was wondering whether he might not have played a trick on you, and have written the letter himself.’ ‘No, no. I’m sure it’s not that. Felix is a very straight, decent fellow. He would not do a thing like that.’ ‘Well, can you think of any one who might be glad to give you annoyance? What about the men who were present when you discussed the lottery? Or any one else at all?’ ‘I cannot think of a single person.’ ‘Did you tell any one about this matter of the lottery?’ ‘No. I never mentioned it.’ ‘One other question, monsieur, and I have done. Did you at any time borrow £50 or the equivalent of French money from M. Felix.’ ‘I never borrowed from him at all.’ ‘Or do you know any one who borrowed such a sum from him?’ ‘No one, monsieur.’