“Who owns the next apartment?” he demanded, observing that another window opened upon the balcony. “There, where the window is.”
“That’s our hall window,” explained Palmer. Turning on his heel he hurried into the reception hall with such speed that he collided violently with his Japanese servant. “Siki, what are you doing here?” he demanded.
“I come to answer the door, most honorable sir,” responded the servant and glancing ahead Palmer saw the front door to his apartment was ajar and that a shadowy form stood in the corridor just outside the entrance.
“What do you want?” he asked, pushing Siki to one side and switching on an additional light; by its aid he saw that the man in the corridor was a French officer.
“I come to inquire the way to the apartment of Madame Van Ness,” the Frenchman stated, observing with well-bred surprise Palmer’s agitated appearance.
“Right upstairs, next floor,” the latter snapped, and shutting the door he was in time to catch Burnham as he staggered to a seat in nervous collapse.
“It’s that damned Frenchman——” Burnham could hardly articulate, and Hayden hastened to his aid. “He tried to kill me.”
“He—who?” demanded Maynard who had lingered behind at the window to look up and down the street before joining them. “Who tried to kill you?”
“René La Montagne!” gasped Burnham and slipped back insensible.