"Still, his mode of speech?"
"Mr. Policeman, he said but four words. What could be known of his rank by four words?"
"What were the four words?"
"For Captain Manuel, this," repeated the Spaniard. "And then sir, this man gave the packet and departed."
"Humph! I wonder if he was the assassin."
"No!" cried Vass with energy. "The murderer would not run the risk of arrest. For my part," added the secretary emphatically, "I do not believe that the two crimes have anything to do with one another."
"In that case, it is strange that they should occur almost simultaneously."
"A coincidence!"
"That may be, Mr. Vass," said Manuel unrolling the parcel and shewing the notes. "But here we have something which is not a coincidence, and which I can explain not. These notes!"
"Well, sir!" asked Torry. "What about them? They are your bank notes."