"Such is the yarn in Kennington circles. I obeyed orders absolutely. I and my mate took turn about in the lodgings we hired, where we are supposed to be inventors. My pal has a mechanical twist. He puts together a small electric machine during his spell, and I take it to pieces in mine. Yesterday my landlady was in the room, and Ooma looked out of the opposite window. Then she told me the whole story." "Go on--do!" "Mr. Ooma is evidently puzzled to learn what has become of the Hume-Frazers and Mrs. Capella." "Why do you bring in her name?" "Because it leads to the second part of my story. Someone--Capella or his solicitors, I expect--instructed Messrs. Matchem and Smith, private detectives, to keep a close eye on the lady. Their man is an ex-police constable, a former subordinate of mine who was fined for taking a drink when he ought not to. Of course, I knew him and he knew me, so I hadn't much trouble in getting it out of him." The speaker paused with due dramatic effect. "Got what out of him?" cried Brett impatiently. "And don't puff your cheeks in that way. Remember the terrible fate of the frog who would be a bull." "There's neither frogs nor bulls in this business," retorted Winter, calm in the consciousness of his coming revelation. "Mrs. Capella did go to Middle Street that night. She drove there in a hansom, had a long talk with Ooma, and nearly drove Miss Dew crazy with jealousy." "We guessed that already. Miss Dew is the prospective princess, I presume?" "Yes. She has been twice to the hotel since, trying to find out where the party went to." "Next?" "Ooma has plenty of money, and now for my prize packet--he is a Jap!" "Impossible!" "This time you are wrong, Mr. Brett. You have only seen him once. You were full of his remarkable likeness to the Hume-Frazers. It is startling, I admit, and at night-time no man living could avoid the mistake. But I tell you he is a Jap. He met Jiro yesterday, and they walked in Kensington Palace Gardens. They talked Japanese all the time. My mate heard them. He distinctly caught the word 'Okasaki' more than once. He managed to shadow them very neatly by hiring a bath-chair and telling the attendant to come near to the pair every time there was a chance. More than that, when you know it, you can see the Japanese eyes, skin, and mouth. It is the grafting of the Jap on the European model that gives him the likeness to--well, to the party you mentioned the other day." "The devil!" exclaimed Brett. "That's him!" It was useless to explain that the exclamation was one of amazement. The barrister began to roam about the apartment, frowning with the intensity of his thoughts. Once he confronted Winter. "Are you sure of this?" he demanded.