"Bless me, if it isn't Mr. Venner," the other cried. "This is my friend,
Grady. I daresay you have heard of him."

"Of course I have," Venner replied. "Mr. Grady is quite as celebrated
in his way as you are yourself. But you see, there was a time when I took
a keen interest in crime and criminals, and some of my experiences in New
York would make a respectable volume. When I heard that you were coming
over here--"

"You heard we were coming here?" Egan exclaimed. "I should very much like
to know how you heard that."

"Oh, you needn't be alarmed," Venner laughed. "Nobody has betrayed your
secret mission to Europe, though, strangely enough, I fancy I shall be in
a position to give you some considerable assistance. I happened to see a
paragraph in the _Herald_ to-day alluding to a mysterious gang of
swindlers who had hit upon a novel form of crime--something to do with
gold dust, I believe it was. At the end of the paragraph it stated that
two of the smartest detectives in the New York Force were coming over
here, and, therefore, it was quite fair to infer that you might be one of
them. In any case, if you had not been, I could have introduced myself to
your colleagues and used your name."

Egan looked relieved, but he said nothing.

"You are quite right to be reticent," Venner said. "But, as I remarked
before, I think I can help you in this business. You hoped to lay hands
on the man you wanted in this hotel."

"I quite see you know something," Egan replied. "As a matter of fart, we