"
"Well," he smiled, "just to oblige you, we will solve it first,
then."
"Do you mean you know...."
"I know who the Great Unknown is, and I'm going to tell you
presently. Day after to-morrow--Wednesday--I'll know all the rest.
The whole story will be in Thursday morning's paper. Suppose you
arrange to start Thursday afternoon."
I could only stare at him. He smiled as he met my gaze.
"You're looking better already," he said, "as though you were taking
a little more interest in life," and he helped himself to a cigar.
"Godfrey," I protested, "I wish you would pick out somebody else to
practise on. You come up here and explode a bomb just to see how high
I'll jump. It's amusing to you, no doubt, and perhaps a little
instructive; but my nerves won't stand it."
"My dear Lester," he broke in, "that wasn't a bomb; that was a simple
statement of fact."
"Are you serious?"
"Perfectly so."
"But how do you know...."
"Before I answer any questions, I want to ask you one. Did you, by
any chance, mention me to the gentleman known to you as M. Felix
Armand?"
"Yes," I answered, after a moment's thought; "I believe I did. I was
telling him about our trying to find the secret drawer--I mentioned
your name--and he asked who you were.
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