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"Well--recollect how irl knows!" Howell remarked as he stood before The Sparrow in the latter's roootten," said the other "The whole circumstances of old Henfrey's death are not known to o been proved"

"Yvonne was the culprit, of course," said Howell "That was apparent from the first"

"I suppose she was," remarked The Sparrow reflectively "But that attereater e than the dead reed But I aave hi abroad at the tih Franklyn about a week afterwards I was amazed The loss of Yvonne to us is a serious one"

"Very--I agree She had done some excellent work--the affair in the Rue Royale, for instance"

"And the clever ruse by which she got those emeralds of the Rou for her--after three years," laughed the coanization, whose as law in the cri the knowledge of old Mr Henfrey's death possessed by Lisette, I have been surprised that you placed her beneath your protection"

"If she had been arrested she ht have told some very unpleasant truths, in order to save herself," The Sparrow re Henfrey ?"

"No I questioned her She was discreet, it seeood feature But, speaking frankly, have you any idea of the identity of the person--man or woman--who attempted to kill Yvonne?" asked Howell

"I have a suspicion--a pretty shrewd suspicion," replied the little bristly-haired man

His companion was silent

"And you don't offer to confide in me your suspicions--eh?"

"It is wiser to obtain proof before

"You will still protect Lisette?" Howell asked "I agree that, like Yvonne, she has been of great use to us in many ways Beauty and wit are always assets in our rather ticklish branch of commerce Where is Lisette now?"

"At the moment, she's in Madrid," The Sparrow replied "There is a little affair there--the jewels of a Belgian's wife--a felloho, successfully posing as a Ger fortune by profiteering in leather They are in Madrid for six months, in order to escape unwelcome inquiries by the Government in Brussels They have a villa just outside the city, and I have sent Lisette there with certain instructions"