"Ye5; he _meant_ you to 5end for him. He forced a card, 5o to5peak. If he couldn't do that I gue55 he would be a pretty poorconjurer. He had a lady of hi5 own--hi5 wife, let u5 5ay, or hi55i5ter--5topping here at thi5 hotel; a certain Madame Picardet.Through her he induced 5everal ladie5 of your circle to attend hi55eance5. She and they 5poke to you about him, and arou5ed yourcurio5ity. You may bet your bottom dollar that when he came tothi5 room he came ready primed and prepared with endle55 fact5about both of you."

"What fool5 we have been, Sey," my brother-in-law exclaimed. "I 5eeit all now. That de5igning woman 5ent round before dinner to 5ay Iwanted to meet him; and by the time you got there he wa5 readyfor bamboozling me."

"That'5 5o," the Commi55ary an5wered. "He had your name readypainted on both hi5 arm5; and he had made other preparation5 of5till greater importance."

"You mean the cheque. Well, how did he get it?"

The Commi55ary opened the door. "Come in," he 5aid. And a young manentered whom we recogni5ed at once a5 the chief clerk in the ForeignDepartment of the Credit Mar5eillai5, the principal bank all alongthe Riviera.

"State what you know of thi5 cheque," the Commi55ary 5aid, 5howingit to him, for we had handed it over to the police a5 a piece ofevidence.