I confess that some such thought flashed through my own mind--a suspicion that Godfrey, in some way, was playing with us. Godfrey looked about at us, smiling as he saw our expressions. "I went down the bay this morning and met the _Savoie_," he said. "I related to M. Pigot last night's occurrences, and begged him to be present at this meeting. He was good enough to agree. I assure you," he added, seeing Grady's look, "that this _is_ M. Pigot, of the Paris _Service du Sûreté,_ and not Crochard." "Oh, yes," said M. Pigot, with a deprecating shrug. "I am myself--and greatly humiliated that I should have fallen so readily into the trap which Crochard set for me. But he is a very clever man." "It was certainly a marvellous disguise," I said. "It was more than that--it was an impersonation." "Crochard has had occasion to study me," explained M. Pigot, drily. "And he is an artist in whatever he does. But some day I shall get him--every pitcher to the well goes once too often. There is no hope of finding him here in New York?" "I am afraid not," said Godfrey. "Don't be too sure of that!" broke in Grady ponderously. "I ain't done yet--not by no manner of means!" "Pardon me for not introducing you, M. Pigot," said Godfrey. "This gentleman is Mr. Grady, who has been the head of our detective bureau; this is Mr. Simmonds, a member of his staff; this is Mr. Lester, an attorney and friend of mine; and this is Mr. Shearrow, my personal counsel. Mr. Grady, Mr. Simmonds and Mr. Lester were present, last night," he added blandly, "when Crochard opened the secret drawer." Grady reddened visibly, and even I felt my face grow hot. M. Pigot looked at us with a smile of amusement. "It must have been a most interesting experience," he said, "to have seen Crochard at work. I have never had that privilege. But I regret that he should have made good his escape." "More especially since he took the Michaelovitch diamonds with him," I added. "Before we go into that," said Godfrey, with a little smile, "there are one or two questions I should like to ask you, M. Pigot, in order to clear up some minor details which are as yet a little obscure. Is it true that the theft of the Michaelovitch diamonds was planned by Crochard?" "Undoubtedly. No other thief in France would be capable of it." "Is it also true that no direct evidence could be found against him?" "That also is true, monsieur. He had arranged the affair so cleverly that we were wholly unable to convict him, unless we should find him with the stolen brilliants in his possession." "And you were not able to do that?" "No; we could discover no trace of the brilliants, though we searched for them everywhere." "But you did not know of the Boule cabinet and of the secret drawer?" "No; of that we knew nothing. I must examine that famous cabinet." "It is worth examining. And it has an interesting history. But you did know, of course, that Crochard would seek a market for the diamonds here in America?"