ble　for　me　to　doubt　your　intention　to　mislead　me。　I　am　forced　to　conclude　that　we　stand　on　opposite　sides　of　the　way。　I　shall　not　trouble　you　any　more；　Miss　Morse。〃
  He　turned　to　the　door。　Penelope　remained　motionless　for　several　moments；　listening　to　his　retreating　footsteps。
  CHAPTER　X。　MR。　COULSON　OUTMATCHED
  Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　settled　down　to　live　what　was；　to　all　appearance；　a　very　inoffensive　and　ordinary　life。　He　rose　a　little　earlier　than　was　customary　for　an　Englishman　of　business　of　his　own　standing；　but　he　made　up　for　this　by　a　somewhat　prolonged　visit　to　the　barber；　a　breakfast　which　bespoke　an　unimpaired　digestion；　and　a　cigar　of　more　than　ordinary　length　over　his　newspaper。　At　about　eleven　o'clock　he　went　down　to　the　city；　and　returned　sometimes　to　luncheon；　sometimes　at　varying　hours；　never　later；　however；　than　four　or　five　o'clock。　From　that　time　until　seven；　he　was　generally　to　be　found　in　the　American　bar；　meeting　old　friends　or　making　new　ones。
  On　the　sixth　day　of　his　stay　at　the　Savoy　Hotel　the　waiter　who　looked　after　the　bar　smoking　room　accosted　him　as　he　entered　at　his　usual　time；　a　little　after　half　past　four。
  〃There's　a　gentleman　here；　Mr。　Coulson；　been　asking　after　you；〃　he　announced。　〃I　told　him　that　you　generally　came　in　about　this　time。　You'll　find　him　sitting　over　there。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　glanced　in　the　direction　indicated。　It　was　Mr。　Jacks　who　awaited　him　in　the　cushioned　easy　chair。　For　a　single　moment；　perhaps；　his　lips　tightened　and　the　light　of　battle　flashed　in　his　face。　Then　he　crossed　the　room　apparently　himself　again；an　undistinguished；　perfectly　natural　figure。
  〃It's　Mr。　Jacks；　isn't　it？〃　he　asked；　holding　out　his　hand。　〃I　thought　I　recognized　you。〃
  The　Inspector　rose　to　his　feet。
  〃I　am　sorry　to　trouble　you　again；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　he　said；　〃but　if　you　could　spare　me　just　a　minute　or　two；　I　should　be　very　much　obliged。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　laughed　pleasantly。
  〃You　can　have　all　you　want　of　me　from　now　till　midnight；〃　he　declared。　〃My　business　doesn't　take　very　long；　and　I　can　only　see　the　people　I　want　to　see　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　After　that；　I　don't　mind　telling　you　that　I　find　time　hangs　a　bit　on　my　hands。　Try　one　of　these；〃　he　added；　producing　a　cigar　case。
  The　Inspector　thanked　him　and　helped　himself。　Mr。　Coulson　summoned　the　waiter。
  〃Highball　for　me；〃　he　directed。　〃What's　yours；　Mr。　Jacks？〃
  〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　the　Inspector　said。　〃I　will　take　a　little　Scotch　whiskey　and　soda。〃
  The　two　men　sat　down。　The　corner　was　a　retired　one；　and　there　was　no　one　within　earshot。
  〃Say；　are　you　still　on　this　Hamilton　Fynes　business？〃　Mr。　Coulson　asked。
  〃Partly；〃　the　Inspector　replied。
  〃You　know；　I'm　not　making　reflections；〃　Mr。　Coulson　said；　sticking　his　cigar　in　a　corner　of　his　mouth　and　leaning　back　in　a　comfortable　attitude；　〃but　it　does　seem　to　me　that　you　are　none　too　rapid　on　this　side　in　clearing　up　these　matters。　Why；　a　little　affair　of　that　sort　wouldn't　take　the　police　twenty　minutes　in　New　York。　We　have　a　big　city；　full　of　alien　quarters；　full　of　hiding　places；　and　chock　full　of　criminals；　but　our　police　catch　em；　all　the　same。　There's　no　one　going　to　commit　murder　in　the　streets　of　New　York　without　finding　himself　in　the　Tombs　before　he's　a　week　older。　No　offence；　Mr。　Jacks。〃
  〃I　am　not　taking　any；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　the　Inspector　answered。　〃I　must　admit　that　there's　a　great　deal　of　truth　in　what　you　say。　It　is　rather　a　reflection　upon　us　that　we　have　not　as　yet　even　made　an　arrest；　but　I　think　you　will　also　admit　that　the　circumstances　of　those　murders　were　exceedingly　curious。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　knocked　the　ash　from　his　cigar。
  〃Well；　as　to　that；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　we　are　to　judge　only　by　what　we　read　in　the　papers；　they　are　curious；　without　a　doubt。　But　I　am　not　supposing　for　one　moment　that　you　fellows　at　Scotland　Yard　don't　know　more　than　you've　let　on　to　the　newspapers。　You　keep　your　discoveries　out　of　the　Press　over　here；　and　a　good　job；　too；　but　you　wouldn't　persuade　me　that　you　haven't　some　very　distinct　theory　as　to　how　that　crime　was　worked；　and　the　sort　of　person　who　did　it。　Eh；　Mr。　Jacks？〃
  〃We　are　perhaps　not　quite　so　ignorant　as　we　seem；〃　the　Inspector　answered；　〃and　of　course　you　are　right　when　you　say　that　we　have　a　few　more　facts　to　go　by　than　have　appeared　in　the　newspapers。　Still；　the　affair　is　an　extremely　puzzling　one；as　puzzling；　in　its　way；〃　Mr。　Jacks　continued；　〃as　the　murder　on　the　very　next　evening　of　this　young　American　gentleman。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　nodded　sympathetically。　The　drinks　were　brought；　and　he　raised　his　glass　to　his　guest。
  〃Here's　luck！〃　he　said〃luck　to　you　with　your　game　of　human　chess；　and　luck　to　me　with　my　woollen　machinery　patents！　You　were　speaking　of　that　second　murder；〃　he　remarked；　setting　down　his　glass。　〃I　haven't　noticed　the　papers　much　this　morning。　Has　any　arrest　been　made　yet？〃
  〃Not　yet；〃　the　Inspector　admitted。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　we　find　it　almost　as　puzzling　an　affair　as　the　one　in　which　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　was　concerned。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　nodded。　He　seemed　content；　at　this　stage　in　their　conversation；　to　assume　the　role　of　listener。
  〃You　read　the　particulars　of　the　murder　of　Mr。　Vanderpole；　I　suppose？〃　the　Inspector　asked。
  〃Every　word；〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered。　〃Most　interesting　thing　I've　seen　in　an　English　newspaper　since　I　landed。　Didn't　sound　like　London　somehow。　Gray　old　law…abiding　place；　my　partner　always　calls　it。〃
  〃I　am　going　to　be　quite　frank　with　you；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　the　Inspector　continued。　〃I　am　going　to　tell　you　exactly　why　I　have　come　to　see　you　again　tonight。〃
  〃Why；　that's　good；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared。　〃I　like　to　know　everything　a　man's　got　in　his　mind。〃
  〃I　have　come　to　you；〃　the　Inspector　said；　〃because；　by　a　somewhat　curious　coincidence；　I　find　that；　besides　your　slight　acquaintance　with　and　knowledge　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes；　you　were　also　acquainted　with　this　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole；that　you　were；〃　he　continued；　knocking　the　ash　off　his　cigar　and　speaking　a　little　more　slowly；　〃the　last　person；　except　the　driver　of　the　taxicab；　to　have　seen　him　alive。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　turned　slowly　around　and　faced　his　companion。
  〃Now；　how　the　devil　do　you　know　that？〃　he　asked。
  The　Inspector　smiled　tolerantly。
  〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　very　simple。　The　taxicab　started　from　here。　Mr。　Vanderpole　had　been　visiting　some　one　in　the　hotel。　There　was　not　the　slightest　difficulty　in　ascertaining　that　the　person　for　whom　he　asked；　and　with　whom　he　spent　some　twenty　minutes　in　this　very　room；　was　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　of　New　York。〃
  〃Seated　on　this　very　couch；　sir！〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared；　striking　the　arm　of　it　with　the　flat　of　his　hand；〃seated　within　a　few　feet　of　where　you　yourself　are　at　this　present　moment。〃
  The　Inspector　nodded。
  〃Naturally；〃　he　continued；　〃when　I　became　aware　of　so　singular　an　occurrence；　I　felt　that　I　must　lose　no　time　in　coming　and　having　a　few　more　words　with　you。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　became　meditative。
  〃Upon　my　word；　when　you　come　to　think　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　coincidence；　sure！　Two　men　murdered　within　twenty…four　hours；　and　I　seem　to　have　been　the　last　person　who　knew　them；　to　speak　to　either。　Tell　you　what；　Mr。　Jacks；　if　this　goes　on　I　shall　get　a　bit　scared。　I　think　I　shall　let　the　London　business　alone　and　go　on　over　to　Paris。〃
  The　Inspector　smiled。
  〃I　fancy　your　nerves；〃　he　remarked；　〃are　quite　strong　enough　to　bear　the　strain。　However；　I　am　sure　you　will　not　mind　telling　me　exactly　why　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole；　Secretary　to　the　American　Embassy　here；　should　have　come　to　see　you　on　Thursday　night。〃
  〃Why；　that's　easy；〃　Mr。　Coulson　replied。　〃You　may　have　heard　of　my　firm；　The　Coulson　&　Bruce　Company　of　Jersey　City。　I'm　at　the　head　of　a　syndicate　that's　controlling　some　very　valuable　patents　which　we　want　to　exploit　on　this　side　and　in　Paris。　Now　my　people　don't　exactly　know　how　we　stand　under　this　new　patent　bill　of　Mr。　Lloyd　George's。　Accordingly　they　wrote　across　to　Mr。　Blaine…Harvey；　putting　the　matter　to　him；　and　asking　him　to　give　me　his　opinion　the　moment　I　arrived　on　this　side。　You　see；　it　was　no　use　our　entering　into　contracts　if　we　had　to　build　the　plant　and　make　the　stuff　over　here。　We　didn't　stand　any　earthly　show　of　making　it　pay　that　way。　Well；　Mr。　Harvey　cabled　out　that　I　was　just　to　let　him　know　the　moment　I　landed；　and　before　I　opened　up　any　business。　Sure　enough；　I　called　him　up　on　the　telephone；　an　hour　or　so　after　I　got　here；　and　this　young　man　came　round。　I　can　tell　you　he　was　all　right；　too；a　fine；　upstanding　young　fellow；　and　as　bright　as　they　make　em。　He　brought　a　written　opinion　with　him　as　to　how　the　law　would　affect　our　proceedings。　I've　got　it　in　my　room　if　you'd　care　to　see　it？〃
  Mr。　Jacks　listened　to　his　companion's　words　with　unchanged　face。
  〃If　it　isn't　troubling　you；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　be　of　some　interest　to　me。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　rose　to　his　feet。
  〃You　sit　right　here；〃　he　declared。　〃I'll　be　back　in　less　than　five　minutes。〃
  Mr。　Coulson　was　as　good　as　his　word。　In　less　than　the　time　mentioned　he　was　seated　again　by　his　companion's　side　with　a　square　sheet　of　foolscap　spread　out　upon　the　round　table。　The　Inspector　ran　it　through　hurriedly。　The　paper　was　stamped　American　Embassy；'　and　it　was　the　digest　of　se