Tourists in shoals visit it, and visit safely
every evening. They pay fancy prices for what they have, but I think
they get their money's worth. But for certain classes of people it is
the decoy house of Europe. Foreign spies have babbled away their secrets
there, and the greatest criminals of the world have whispered away their
lives to some fair daughter of Judas at those tables. I, who am behind
the scenes, tell you these things, Duncombe."
Duncombe smiled.
"To-morrow," he said, "you may add another victim to your chamber of
horrors!"
CHAPTER VIII
DUNCOMBE'S "HOLD-UP"
The amber wine fell in a little wavering stream from his upraised glass
on to the table-cloth below. He leaned back in his chair and gazed at
his three guests with a fatuous smile. The girl in blue, with the
dazzlingly fair hair and wonderful complexion, steadied his hand and
exchanged a meaning look with the man who sat opposite. Surely the poor
fool was ready for the plucking? But Madame, who sat beside her, frowned
upon them both. She had seen things which had puzzled her. She signed to
them to wait.
She leaned over and flashed her great black eyes upon him.
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