M. Desmalions opened a directory and turned over the pages. Presently
he declared:

"There is no Doctor Bellavoine; and there is no doctor living at 14 Rue
d'Astorg."




CHAPTER TWO

A MAN DEAD


The declaration was followed by a silence of some length. The Secretary
of the American Embassy and the Peruvian attaché had followed the
conversation with eager interest. Major d'Astrignac nodded his head with
an air of approval. To his mind, Perenna could not be mistaken.

The Prefect of Police confessed:

"Certainly, certainly ... we have a number of circumstances here ... that
are fairly ambiguous.... Those brown patches; that doctor.... It's a case
that wants looking into." And, questioning Don Luis Perenna as though in
spite of himself, he asked, "No doubt, in your opinion, there is a
possible connection between the murder ... and Mr. Mornington's will?"

"That, Monsieur le Préfet, I cannot tell. If there is, we should have to
suppose that the contents of the will were known. Do you think they can
have leaked out, Maître Lepertuis?"