Bruce Duncan no longer doubted that the Englishman was the fifth man.
"Why did you come so early?" he questioned. "You are not expected until midnight."
The Englishman did not reply.
"We are glad that you arrived early," continued Bruce. "We have been waiting for you — to warn you. Didn't you suspect that something was wrong when you received word to come before the time that was originally stated?"
The Englishman's face expressed concern.
"My name," continued the young man, "is Bruce Duncan. I am the nephew of Harvey Duncan, who was one of the seven men who were summoned to meet in the old ruined house. My uncle died. He had the names of the other six men. The list was stolen after his death. Since then, four men have been lured to their doom. You were to be the fifth."
The Englishman slumped into a chair. He could tell that Bruce Duncan was speaking the truth. He seemed in a daze.
"An impostor," said Bruce, "is taking my uncle's place. He has the stolen badge that will identify him as the proper man to receive the wealth from Russia. But he knew that six others would arrive on the appointed night. By removing them, he could keep the secret to himself, and appropriate the shares that belonged to them. Hence he evolved the fiendish scheme of notifying each man to appear beforehand. He set the meeting times a week apart. We are attempting to frustrate his plans."
The Englishman rose from the chair and became suddenly alert. He extended his hand to Bruce Duncan.
"My name is Hubert Weston," he said. "I was a major in the British army during the war. I was in Russia, prior to the revolution. I saved the life of Prince Samanov, one of the czar's generals. I promised him that I would obey any summons that came from him or any one whom he might designate. The proof of its authenticity was to be the mark of his signet."