The Minister, after a few minutes’ thought, advised M. Havard to despatch a special messenger to see Tom Bob and beg him to come at once to the Ministry of Justice where the Minister wished to speak to him. But the messenger had been to the Hôtel Terminus, had seen Tom Bob, and had brought back the answer: “Mr. Bob directs me to say he is very tired, almost ill, and cannot be disturbed.” Neither Havard nor the Minister could make anything of it, and while the former was still marvelling at the amazing attitude the American detective had chosen to adopt in refusing to obey the personal invitation of a Minister of State, under the flimsy excuse of fatigue, the Minister insisted: “You must admit, M. Havard, that this refusal to come and see me is, to say the least, extraordinary. Why, deuce take it, if Tom Bob was not wounded, that is to say, was not guilty, that is to say, had not pressing reasons for not showing himself just now, he would have come along here post haste. How did he know I was not meaning to decorate him?” M. Havard laughed frankly at the great man’s little joke; he was still laughing when the brougham stopped at the door of the Hôtel Terminus. “Whatever you do,” the Minister observed, as they got out, “whatever you do, address me as ‘my dear fellow,’ from now on. I don’t at all like the idea of that American being able to boast of having put out a Minister of France. I mean to preserve the strictest incognito.” M. Havard handed his card to a waiter, bidding him go and inform Mr. Tom Bob that he desired a few minutes’ conversation with him; then, after the man had gone, he assured his companion: “Do not be afraid, Monsieur le Ministre ... beg pardon!... do not be afraid, my dear fellow: nobody shall guess who you are.” * * * * * “Monsieur Havard, I was expecting you”—smiling, cheerful, debonair, not the very least like a sick or tired man, Tom Bob welcomed M. Havard in one of the small sitting rooms of the hotel. “You were expecting me, my dear colleague?” “Certainly!” Then, as Tom Bob was drawing up seats, and his eyes fell on the Minister, M. Havard thought it needful to add: “Allow me to introduce my senior secretary.” The American vouchsafed a little supercilious smile for this subordinate. “Delighted, sir, delighted to meet you!” and he turned again to M. Havard, resuming: “I was expecting you, because I supposed the Minister, having sent for me this morning and finding I did not come, would send someone to see me.” The opportunity was too good a one for verifying an important point for M. Havard to neglect: “You were right, quite right in your supposition. But, by-the-by, why did you not come to the Ministry?” A smile appeared on Tom Bob’s lips; with his usual phlegm he answered M. Havard: “And pray, why should I have gone?”