Her mouth twitched strangely;
she was a nervous wreck.
Then came her departure, attended by a certain bustle, an appointment
with Mr. Gianapolis; and the delivery of the parcel into that
gentleman's keeping.
Mrs. Leroux was away for six days on this occasion. Leroux sent her
three postcards during that time, and re-addressed some ten or twelve
letters which arrived for her. The address in all cases was:
c/o Miss Denise Ryland,
Atelier 4, Rue du Coq d'Or,
Montmartre,
Paris.
East 18642 was much in demand that week; and there were numerous
meetings between Soames and Gianapolis at the corner of Victoria
Street, and numerous whiskies-and-sodas in the Red Lion; for Gianapolis
persisted in his patronage of that establishment, apparently for no
other reason than because it was dangerously near to Scotland Yard, and
an occasional house of call for members of the Criminal Investigation
Department.
Thus did Mr. Soames commence his career of duplicity at the flat of
Henry Leroux; and for some twelve months before the events which so
dramatically interfered with the delightful scheme, he drew his double
salary and performed his perfidious work with great efficiency and
contentment. Mrs. Leroux paid four other visits to Paris during that
time, and always returned in much better spirits, although pale and
somewhat haggard looking.
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