private exit opposite to the one which led into the room where Bobby was
miserably awaiting his fate.

"Show Mr. Froelich in, Inspector Groombridge, and, by the way, I hope you
have treated him with courtesy."

The inspector cleared his throat.

"Oh, I think so, sir. Of course, it's rather difficult in these cases to
make a gentleman comfortable, but I gave him a shake-down in my own
private room for the night and sent a man for his toilet things and so on
in the morning."

"Very well, Inspector; show him in at once."

Bobby came into the room; his expression was more bewildered than
apprehensive. The Assistant Commissioner held out his hand, which Bobby
took with a look of surprise.

"Do sit down, Mr. Froelich. I am so sorry to have troubled you. You will,
I am sure, understand that in times like these one has to be very
careful, and your acquaintance with Madame de Corantin--"

"Madame de Corantin!" Bobby, exclaimed. "What in the world--"

"One moment, Mr. Froelich. I'll try and explain it to you. Madame de
Corantin is known to us. She is a very clever emissary of the German
Government, and she has succeeded in baffling us entirely up till now
because by a chain of coincidences there has been no one who could
identify her on the various occasions that she has been in England.