"I have something of importance to communicate to Monsieur," he said, very politely, holding his grey felt hat in his hand and glancing quickly around. "May I speak with you privately?" "Certainly," I replied; and recollecting a small salon off the hall on the left, led the way thither, and switched on the light. Then, when he had carefully closed the door and we were alone, he said with a pleasant smile-- "I had perhaps better at once introduce myself to Monsieur. I am Victor Tramu, inspector of the first division of the _brigade mobile_ of Paris, and I have called at the risk of inconveniencing you to put a few questions concerning two associates of yours living in this hotel-- namely, Monsieur Harvey Shaw and Mademoiselle Asta Seymour." "Associates!" I echoed resentfully. "They are my friends!" The police-officer smiled as he caressed his silky brown beard--a habit of his. "Excellent. Then certainly you will be able to give me the information I require." "Of what?" "Of their recent movements, and more especially of their place of residence." I was silent, recollecting Asta's injunctions to know nothing; but the man stood regarding me with calm, searching, impudent glance. "By what right, pray, do you subject me to this cross-examination?" I demanded in French, full of resentment, as I stood in the centre of the room facing him. "Ah! so Monsieur is disinclined to betray his friends, eh?" laughed Tramu, whom I afterwards found out to be one of the most famous detectives in France. "You arrived _en automobile_ from Lyons together, and previously from Versailles," he remarked. "In Lyons your friend Shaw met other of his associates, and again here--yesterday at the Villa Reyssac. You see, I know a good deal of what has transpired and what is just now in progress. Indeed, I travelled from Paris for that purpose." "Well, it surely does not concern me!" I exclaimed. "Pardon. I must differ from Monsieur," he said, bowing slightly, his hands behind his back. "I desire to know something concerning these persons--of where they live." "You had better ask them yourself," I replied. "It is scarcely likely that I shall give information to the police concerning my friends," I added, in defiance. "_Bien_! Then shall I be frank with you, m'sieur? The fact is that we have suspicions, very grave ones, but we are not absolutely certain of their identity." "Then why trouble me?" "Because you can so easily establish it beyond a doubt." "Well, Monsieur Tramu, I flatly refuse to satisfy your curiosity, or assist you against my friends," I replied, and turned abruptly upon my heel to leave the room.