The man met his challenging gaze steadily.
"Mr. Tranter, sir?"
"Mr. Tranter came here last night—between ten and eleven o'clock."
"I think you must be mistaken, sir. If he had come here, I should have seen him."
Monsieur Dupont clenched his fists.
"I am not mistaken! I say that he came here last night!"
"I did not see him, sir."
"Since then he has disappeared. He has not returned to his house, and nothing has been heard of him. Where is he?"
"I know nothing of Mr. Tranter, sir."
"That is not true!" Monsieur Dupont almost shouted.