LOMAX MAKES A MISTAKE .sx " STOP !sx " shouted Dujardin - but the Englishman was already twenty yards away and running like a hare .sx Every man , once in his life , breaks even his most rigid rule , and Detective Inspector Lomax has done this now .sx He had stared at Dujardin when the latter had made his startling announcement .sx A man murdered - that was nothing unusual in his way of business , but a man's tongue slit - so that he shouldn't talk , or course .sx A fiendish idea , with a touch of the Latin-American or Corsican in it .sx And it was Zuberra who had done it ; if his own hand hadn't committed the terrible outrage , it was carried out under his order .sx Zuberra - .sx That was when he started running after the taxi which was being driven rapidly away .sx Zuberra - and that girl , Beryl Trentham , was in the devil's clutches !sx Of course !sx It all worked out , he told himself , as he put on a fresh spurt .sx Zuberra had both the girl through whom he was trying to work his latest ingenious swindle , and The Imp , safely stowed away .sx But why the Imp ?sx To work a blackmail-ransom stunt on Wendover , who he must know was a very rich man ?sx And how had he got hold of her ?sx That didn't matter now ; the only concern was to find the man - and he was going to do this if he raked the whole of Paris through .sx The apartment of the Comtesse Lepiney in the Rue Daunau was the most likely place .sx As he ran , a bizarre idea took possession of him .sx He had started on that chase with merely the notion of getting hold of the old taxi-driver and endeavouring to force some more information out of the man .sx Hadn't Dujardin said that " Papa " Granaud was half a crook himself ?sx Granaud was probably in the plot - it couldn't be mere coincidence that the assassin should have hit upon this shady character to deliver his ghastly burden at the very door of the White Rabbit .sx Granaud knew something - and once he got his hands on the fellow , he would make him talk .sx That had been his original plan ; but as he turned yet another corner and saw the dilapidated taxi only a hundred yards in front , this second idea appealed to him with even greater force .sx Two could play at his bizarrerie business .sx Making a last , desperate effort , he drew alongside the taxi which was lurching over the cobblestones .sx " Granaud !sx " he called .sx The man looked down .sx " M'sieur - I am engaged , " he replied .sx The light was bad in that narrow slum-street , but he fancied he had seen Granaud grin .sx Was the fellow mocking him ?sx " Nevertheless , you are going to drive me to the address I shall give you .sx " M'sieur is confident .sx Did I not say I was engaged ?sx " Lomax replied with a shrewder thrust .sx " The man inside will not mind , Granaud .sx You drive now to No .sx 212 , Rue Daunau .sx You know it , no doubt ?sx " " I know the Rue Daunau , of course , but not No .sx 212 .sx Why should I ?sx " " I haven't time to answer questions my friend , " was the Detective-Inspector's response .sx " Wait !sx " He slipped around in front of the taxi and mounted to stand by the driver .sx " No .sx 212 Rue Daunau , " he ordered ; " you see this , Granaud ?sx " The many-coated chauffeur gasped when he looked down to find a revolver pointed at him .sx " Mon Dieu !sx Be careful !sx " he cried ; it may go off .sx " That is my intention unless you do exactly what I want , Granaud .sx For the last time , No .sx 212 , Rue Daunau .sx " " This is a crime , " Lomax heard the old rogue whine as the taxi shot forward ; " I give you warning that you will get into serious trouble with the police for this .sx We do not permit such atrocities in Paris !sx " " Take the shortest cut !sx " was the grim rejoinder .sx Even though his thoughts were centred on what Zuberra would say when confronted with the body of his victim , he could not help admiring the effrontery of Granaud .sx For the latter to talk of the police , especially in the present circumstances , was a jest so rich that he knew he would laugh over it many times in the future .sx In the meantime , he concentrated on seeing that the taxi-driver kept to his job .sx Granaud , still muttering to himself , was bent over the wheel and taking what , to the ordinary motorist , would have appeared appalling chances now that he had left the back streets and had come into more crowded thoroughfares .sx Suddenly , the taxi took a dive into another dimly-lit section .sx It seemed to the Englishman , who did not know the locality , that this particular alley was merely a cul-de-sac ; it seemed to have no outlet .sx " Where are you going ?sx " he demanded , pressing the barrel of the revolver hard against the man's neck .sx " Take that thing away !sx " retorted Granaud ; " you wanted to get to the Rue Daunau quickly , didn't you ?sx Well , this is the shortest cut .sx Some people are never satisfied !sx " " So long as you aren't trying to be funny !sx " " Funny !sx Me , poor 'Papa' Granaud , to dare to be 'funny' with the great English detective !sx " Lomax's face became grim .sx So the rascal had known who he was all along .sx " Keep your mind on your job , " he ordered .sx It would have been a stupid waste of time to attempt any argument with the man .sx " How do you think I can drive properly when that revolver is pressing into my neck ?sx " was the querulous reply .sx Lomax admitting the truth of the complaint , removed the weapon .sx He had scarcely done so when - .sx " Look out , you fool !sx " he called at the top of his voice .sx Whether through carelessness or of set purpose , Granaud was heading straight for a lorry that was drawn up by the kerb .sx The next moment Lomax was thrown completely off his balance ; realization of the certainty of the collision came too quickly for him to take any precautionary measures ; otherwise , he would have tried to jump clear .sx He heard a loud tumult crashing in his ears , felt something hit his head with terrific force - and remembered nothing more .sx ZUBERRA'S LATEST " GUEST .sx " " Welcome to Paris - the real Paris , my dear Lomax !sx " mocked a voice .sx The Detective-Inspector knew the speaker before he opened his eyes .sx " If I may say so , Lomax , you scarcely displayed your usual cool-headedness , " remarked Zuberra .sx Lomax noticed that his old enemy was in evening kit , and that he was sitting at his ease on a deal table in a distressingly dirty room .sx " It was rather more than I had hoped to find you chasing dear old 'Papa' Granaud's taxi in the way you did .sx And what did you think of the accident ?sx Wasn't it skilfully arranged ?sx Of course , the idea had occurred to me that after looking into the cab and finding that the police-spy , Laporte , had unfortunately died , you might be induced to follow - but , then , common sense came to my aid , and I said :sx 'Lomax , the great English hunter of criminals , is far too astute to leave the protection of his French friend Dujardin .sx ' By the way , I heard to-day that Jalabert is back in Paris from Marseilles .sx I thought you might be interested .sx It is to be regretted that he has arrived too late .sx " " He'll be in time all right , Zuberra , " was the comment .sx " You think so ?sx I beg to differ , my friend .sx You should have stayed in London ; it would have been wiser on your part .sx This is Paris , remember - and I have many friends in Paris .sx Some of them are in this place ; and they will do what I wish .sx " " And what is that ?sx " " Let us not anticipate , Lomax .sx Believe me , it will be better for you not to know what is going to happen to you .sx " The Scotland Yard Detective-Inspector would have given much for the chance to have got at the speaker's throat , but he was so securely bound that movement of any kind was impossible .sx " There is no reason now why I should not inform you of my exact plans , " went on the crook ; " no doubt , through your newspaper friend , Wendover , you have already formed certain conclusions ?sx Yes , I brought that mannequin to Paris to make a fortune out of her ; and , although she has proved obstinate , I shall still get my pile .sx The people who matter are convinced that she is the real Princess Corisande ; as a matter of fact , I am going on from here to a meeting of what the fools call the Grand Council of Caronian refugees in order that I may get as liberal subscriptions as possible from them to start a campaign to place this wench back upon the Caronian throne !sx Humorous , isn't it ?sx But characteristic , I think , of Zuberra .sx " The speaker flicked the ash off his cigarette with an exaggerated gesture .sx " I congratulate you , " said the prisoner .sx And Lomax's tone was not ironical ; although he hated this man , he recognized his worth as an opponent .sx Charles Zuberra was a criminal with whom it was an honour to match wits .sx But - and here mortification flooded through his mind - for the second time , the crook had beaten him .sx " It has been an expensive business , of course , " continued Zuberra , lighting another cigarette .sx The man appeared to delight in hearing himself talk .sx " But I have already got one cheque for twenty thousand pounds - that will be cashed to-morrow - and I am taking it with me to the meeting to-night as a useful piece of propaganda .sx With the signature of the Comtesse Lepiney before them , these fools will dip down into their pockets .sx " " Ingenious , I agree .sx But someone is pretty certain to guess at the truth ; and when the world knows - what then ?sx " " It will be too late , " answered the criminal .sx " For I shall be gone with a nice little picking .sx As for the girl , no one can get at her .sx She is in an asylum at the moment , and until I give the word , she will remain there .sx You would like to know the address ?sx Why not ?sx The Villa Wirsna , Neuilly .sx You will have no chance of getting there .sx Lomax called upon his nerve .sx " And Miss Trentham ?sx " he asked .sx " She is also safely tucked away , my old friend , " scoffed Zuberra ; " a smart kid , that .sx Apart from Wendover , she was the first one to see through the scheme .sx She called on the 'Princess' pretending to be a reporter from Wendover's paper' and when the two girls got together , she tried to get the 'Princess' away , and so - " .sx " Where is she ?sx " demanded Lomax .sx " The information is not available .sx You shall know in good time , perhaps .sx But , in the meanwhile , I leave you with the reflection that she is in a place from which escape is as difficult as the mental home which now has the honour of housing the 'Princess .sx ' You should have left this job to someone else , Lomax .sx You always fail when you try to beat Zuberra ; but this time , you won't be able to get back to London .sx It's your end , my friend ; don't make any mistake about that .sx " The speaker swung himself easily off the table , his immaculate shirt-front contrasting ironically with the general grimness of the room .sx " If you should want anything , Lomax , just ring !sx " He grinned as he turned away , and the Scotland Yard man heard the door close behind him .sx HAUNTED BY A FACE .sx The Grand Duke Alexis of Caronia had once possessed three of the most famous palaces in existence ; his fortune had been estimated at over ten millions ; he had commanded an army corps , and had been for several decades a glittering world figure .sx His tremendous height and lean , hawk-like face would have been sufficient to set him apart even had he not been born to such a position of eminence .sx Now , his worldly greatness had departed - instead of a magnificent palace , he lived in a poor , shabbily-furnished Paris apartment .sx Yet he was still treated with a respect that amounted almost to reverence , for the large colony of Caronian refugees hailed him as their leader .sx These fallen aristocrats , who were hoping one day to re-establish a monarchy , put all their faith in the man who , throughout the war , had been generally recognized as one of the greatest military strategists that history had ever known .sx