Mr. Neuilly looked at it, muttered "very like! very like!" then remained silent for some moments; finally he said:
"And you think he murdered this woman, Montalbon?"
"I do."
"It would be terrible to hang that child's father. What dishonor! What dishonor! But Justice is Justice!" He seemed to be talking rather to himself than to Mr. Barnes. Suddenly he turned and said:
"I cannot tell you the name for which you ask. But I will go with you to New York, and if this story of yours is true, I will move heaven and earth to see justice done. That villain must not ruin another young life."
"Good," exclaimed the detective, delighted with the result of his visit.
"One more point, Mr. Neuilly. What do you know of the existence of another Mr. Leroy Mitchel?"
"I never met him, though I knew of him. There was a mystery about that, which I never could unravel. I think that he loved this same girl. At any rate shortly after she died, he lost his reason, and is now in an insane asylum. Of course he cannot help us."
Mr. Barnes, after arranging where to meet Mr. Neuilly, returned to the St. Charles to make his own preparations for going north. Up in his room he found Chambers awaiting him.
"Well," said the detective, "what have you learned?"