“Lead the way, then. You know the town, I think you told me,” said the General.
“Oh, yes, sir,” answered the detective, bending his steps towards the principal hotel.
While they were yet at some distance from the house, they saw a carriage drive off from before it. Slight as the circumstance was in itself, when considered in relation to the hour and other circumstances, it seemed very significant. So they hurried on.
Before they reached the house however, they saw another carriage draw up before the entrance, and a party come out and enter it; and then they saw the carriage drive off, but not in the same direction taken by the first.
“There are our duelists!” exclaimed the detective in triumph, “one party is in the first carriage, and the other in the second.”
“But they took opposite directions,” gasped the General, out of breath with his rapid walk.
“That was to mislead people. They have taken opposite, but each will make a half circle and meet on the appointed ground unless we stop them,” said Willet, striding onwards at a rate that made it difficult for his companions to keep up with him.
“I do not see how we are to stop it now,” groaned the General.
“We must take a cab from the hotel, and make what inquiries as to the route taken by the others that we have time for.”
While talking they had hurried on with all their might, and now they were at the hotel.