I had only admitted my suspicions in order to make friends with the officer, and in the hope of preventing him revealing the truth to poor Lucie.

About six o'clock that evening I opened my eyes and found my neat little friend, pale and tearful, standing by my bedside.

She tried to speak, but only burst into a flood of tears.

I took her hand and held it, while the nurse, realising the situation, placed a chair for her.

"You know the terrible blow that has fallen upon me!" she faltered, in a low voice. "My poor father!"

"They have told me," I answered, in sympathy. "How can I sufficiently express my regret!"

She shook her head in sorrow, and her great dark eyes met mine.

"Blow after blow has fallen upon me," she sighed. "This is the heaviest!"

"I know, Miss Lucie," I said. "But you must bear up against the terrible misfortune. We were both victims of an ingenious blackguard.

What did you know of the fellow? I was under the impression that he was your friend?"

"Friend!" she echoed. "He always pretended to be--and yet he killed my poor father in secret, and tried also to take your life."

"He believed me to be a friend of your father's," I said, "He told me so when I accused him of having poisoned me--he said his intention was to kill all your father's friends, one by one."

"He said that!" she gasped. "He actually told you that!"

"Yes. He admitted that he had poisoned me, and laughed in my face," I answered. "But who is he? Where did you know him?"

"He was once my father's most intimate friend."

And while she bent over my bed, her blanched, haggard face near mine as she spoke, another figure came between myself and the light.

I turned, and saw that it was my friend the detective, while Lucie also recognised and greeted him instantly.

"As I was pa.s.sing, I thought I'd just drop in and tell you, feeling sure you'd be interested," he said, addressing me; "the fact is that this afternoon we've made a most amazing discovery. Perhaps you will be able to throw some light upon it. At present it is a complete and profound mystery."

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

NEEDS SOME EXPLANATION.

"What is it?" I asked anxiously.

"Well," said the officer, looking meaningly at me, "I would rather speak with you alone."

"You mean that you want me to go away," exclaimed Lucie quickly. "Have you discovered anything further regarding my poor father's death?"

"No, miss. Unfortunately not. I want to consult Mr Leaf in private-- only for a few minutes."

"Certainly," she said; and, rising, pa.s.sed along the ward and out into the corridor.

"Well?" I inquired. "What is it?"

"Something that closely concerns yourself, Mr Leaf," he said, with a curious expression upon his face. "Perhaps you will explain it."

"Explain what?"

"The reason the Italian people have sent an agent over here to apply for your arrest and extradition upon the charge of murdering a police officer in a villa at Tivoli, near Rome."

"They've done that!" I gasped, recollecting, however, that I had showed my revolver licence to the carabineer, and therefore they knew my proper name and description.

"Yes. And there is a second point which requires clearing up," he said, rather severely. "You told me that you were only slightly acquainted with this man Miller, whereas it has been established by the Italian police that he was at that villa with you."

"How established?"

"It appears, as far as we can gather from the police agent sent from Rome, that a young man of very bad character was seen in the vicinity of the villa on the night of the affair, and was afterwards arrested in Rome. He gave the description of one of his accomplices, an Englishman, and it proves to have been the man Miller, whom the Italian police, like ourselves, have wanted for a long time. So you see what a serious charge there is against you."

"I quite see it," I answered, utterly amazed that I should find such an allegation against me, after I had congratulated myself upon my clever escape.

"The Italian police ask for the arrest of both yourself and Miller."

"Well, they won't arrest him, at any rate," I said. "And I doubt whether they will arrest me when I tell the whole story. You say they have made only one arrest in Rome?" I added.

"Only one."

Then Dr Gavazzi was still at liberty. He had decamped and was in some place of safety with those packets of bank-notes with which his pockets had bulged.

It certainly seemed as though I was to be placed under arrest a second time. Formal application had been made to Scotland Yard, and the fact that I had admitted acquaintance with Miller, a known thief, did not allow them any alternative but to obey.

The detective told me that, whereupon I asked to speak with the Italian Agent.

"I'll bring him to you in an hour's time, or so," was the inspector's answer, and when he had gone Lucie returned to my side.

"You are upset, Mr Leaf. What has he discovered? Anything startling?"

"No," was my response. "Only a fact that surprises me. Really nothing which has any important bearing upon the affair. Ah!" I sighed, "how I long to be strong enough to leave this place and to see Ella. Will you endeavour to see her? Tell her I am here. I must see her--must, you understand."

"I'll go straight to Porchester Terrace," she promised. "But if you see that man Gordon-Wright say nothing. Do not mention me, remember."

"I quite understand." And as the nurse approached, Lucie took my hand, bending for a moment over my bed, and then left me.

An hour later my friend the detective was again at my bedside, accompanied by a short, thick-set, black-bearded little man, typically Italian.

"I hear you have been sent to England to effect my arrest," I exclaimed in his own language.

"That is so, signore, though I much regret it."

"You need not regret. You are only doing your duty," I said. "But I merely wish to a.s.sure you that I have no intention of trying to escape you. In fact, I couldn't walk the length of this room at present to save my life. I'm too weak. But before you place a constable on duty here, I would ask you one favour."

"What is that?"