The real Mrs. Leroux had
never visited that bank; it was Madame Jean, posing as Mrs. Leroux, who
went there and wrote the specimen signature, accompanied by a certain
Soames, a butler"...
"I know him!" said Dr. Cumberly, grimly, "the blackguard!"
"Truly a blackguard, truly a big, dirty blackguard! But it is such
canaille as this that Mr. King discovers and uses for his own ends.
Paris society, I know for a fact; has many such a cankerworm in its
heart. Oh! it is a big case, a very big case. Poor Mr. Leroux being
confined to his bed--ah! I pity him--I took the opportunity to visit his
flat in Palace Mansions with Inspector Dunbar, and I obtained further
evidence showing how the conspiracy had been conducted; yes. For
instance, Dunbar's notebook showed me that Mr. Leroux was accustomed to
receive letters from Mrs. Leroux whilst she was supposed to be in Paris.
I actually discovered some of those letters, and they bore no dates.
This, if they came from a woman, was not remarkable, but, upon one
of them I found something that WAS remarkable. It was still in its
envelope, you must understand, this letter, its envelope bearing the
Paris post-mark. But impressed upon the paper I discovered a second
post-mark, which, by means of a simple process, and the use of a
magnifying glass, I made out to be Bow, East!"
"What!"
"Do you understand? This letter, and others doubtless, had been enclosed
in an envelope and despatched to Paris from Bow, East? In short, Mrs.
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