"As I was passing, I thought I'd just drop in and tell you, feeling sure you'd be interested," he said, addressing me; "the fact is that this afternoon we've made a most amazing discovery. Perhaps you will be able to throw some light upon it. At present it is a complete and profound mystery." CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN. NEEDS SOME EXPLANATION. "What is it?" I asked anxiously. "Well," said the officer, looking meaningly at me, "I would rather speak with you alone." "You mean that you want me to go away," exclaimed Lucie quickly. "Have you discovered anything further regarding my poor father's death?" "No, miss. Unfortunately not. I want to consult Mr Leaf in private-- only for a few minutes." "Certainly," she said; and, rising, passed along the ward and out into the corridor. "Well?" I inquired. "What is it?" "Something that closely concerns yourself, Mr Leaf," he said, with a curious expression upon his face. "Perhaps you will explain it." "Explain what?" "The reason the Italian people have sent an agent over here to apply for your arrest and extradition upon the charge of murdering a police officer in a villa at Tivoli, near Rome." "They've done that!" I gasped, recollecting, however, that I had showed my revolver licence to the carabineer, and therefore they knew my proper name and description. "Yes. And there is a second point which requires clearing up," he said, rather severely. "You told me that you were only slightly acquainted with this man Miller, whereas it has been established by the Italian police that he was at that villa with you." "How established?" "It appears, as far as we can gather from the police agent sent from Rome, that a young man of very bad character was seen in the vicinity of the villa on the night of the affair, and was afterwards arrested in Rome. He gave the description of one of his accomplices, an Englishman, and it proves to have been the man Miller, whom the Italian police, like ourselves, have wanted for a long time. So you see what a serious charge there is against you." "I quite see it," I answered, utterly amazed that I should find such an allegation against me, after I had congratulated myself upon my clever escape. "The Italian police ask for the arrest of both yourself and Miller." "Well, they won't arrest him, at any rate," I said. "And I doubt whether they will arrest me when I tell the whole story. You say they have made only one arrest in Rome?" I added. "Only one." Then Dr Gavazzi was still at liberty. He had decamped and was in some place of safety with those packets of bank-notes with which his pockets had bulged. It certainly seemed as though I was to be placed under arrest a second time. Formal application had been made to Scotland Yard, and the fact that I had admitted acquaintance with Miller, a known thief, did not allow them any alternative but to obey. The detective told me that, whereupon I asked to speak with the Italian Agent.