“Were you also informed of the circumstances associated with his death?” the Russian persisted.
“Yes. Of some of them, at least. I did not go into the subject definitely. It was not of especial interest to me at the time.”
“Will you tell me what was told to you?”
“Really, colonel——”
“Pardon me, sir, I know that this seems entirely beside the subject of my call here, but possibly it may not appear so later on. If you will be patient with me, I will be your debtor.”
“Very well, sir.”
“Will you tell me what was told to you in regard to the death of my father?”
The detective hesitated. What had been told to him was, in a way, a privileged communication imparted in confidence. Presently he replied:
“I will tell you as much about it as I think I may with discretion. The main points of my information are these: Your father, Prince Turnieff, was sent to Paris on a secret mission of some sort for his government. He took there with him a very large sum of money presumably his own. Also while there he made a great display of valuable jewels, though why he did so does not appear.”
“Your information is entirely correct so far, Mr. Carter. I will add to it in that particular. He had with him the equivalent of two hundred thousand dollars in cash in your money. He also had in his possession at that time certain jewels which were the property—or had been—of a family that had suffered exile. Those jewels had been forfeited to the crown together with other possessions, and——”