‘I should like to wire to London now, and also to write by to-night’s post,’ said Burnley. ‘They’ll want to get on to tracing that second cask from Waterloo as soon as possible.’ ‘Well, the ordinary letter-boxes are clear at half-past six, but if you are late you can post in the van of the English mail at the Gare du Nord up till 9.10 p.m., so you have plenty of time for that later. What about sending your wire from here now, and then going to the Hotel Continental to look up your friend Felix?’ Burnley agreed, and when the telegram had been sent they took another taxi and drove to the Continental. Lefarge’s card produced immediately a polite and agreeable manager, anxious to assist. ‘We are trying to trace a man whom we believe stayed here recently,’ explained Lefarge. ‘His name was Léon Felix.’ ‘A rather short and slight man with a black beard and a pleasing manner?’ replied the manager. ‘Oh, yes, I know M. Felix very well, and very pleasant I have always found him. He was here recently. I will inquire the exact dates.’ He disappeared for a few seconds. ‘He was here from Saturday, the 13th of March, till Monday, the 15th. Then he returned on Friday, the 26th, and left again on the morning of Sunday, the 28th, to catch the 8.20 train for England at the Gare du Nord.’ The two detectives exchanged glances of surprise. ‘Could you let me compare his signature in your register with one I have here?’ asked Burnley. ‘I am anxious to make sure it is the same man.’ ‘Certainly,’ replied the manager, leading the way. The signature was the same, and, after thanking the manager, they took their departure. ‘That’s an unexpected find,’ Burnley remarked. ‘Felix said nothing to me about being here ten days ago.’ ‘It’s a bit suggestive, you know,’ returned his companion. ‘We’ll have to find out what he was doing during the visit.’ Burnley nodded. ‘Now for my report, anyway,’ he said. ‘I think I’ll go to the Sûreté and do the same,’ answered Lefarge. They parted, having arranged to meet later in the evening. Burnley wrote a detailed account of his day to his Chief, asking him to have inquiries made at Waterloo about the second cask. Having posted it, he gave himself up to a study of Felix’s letter ordering the group of statuary. It was written on a sheet of the same kind of paper as those of the two typewritten letters received by Felix. Burnley carefully compared the watermarks and satisfied himself on the point. Then, drawing from his pocket the address he had got Felix to write in the house on the Great North Road, he compared them.