"Undoubtedly."
"But how did they know I was going to send the diamonds to the woman in St. Charles Avenue to-night? Where did they get hold of a young fellow who looks so astonishingly like you to help them in their villainous schemes?"
"I can tell you something about that, in a minute. What did that fellow say when he came here?"
"He came in at the front gate, a little after eleven, and he said he had disguised himself so that he could escape the vigilance of possible spies. He also said that he had come early, as the cars did not run, at this time of night, so he could get here at sharp twelve. Oh, he had a clever story! I'll warrant you that Jurgens fixed that part of it for him."
"You wanted me to take the diamonds to the daughter of the Man from Cape Town?" asked Matt.
"Why, didn't you know that?" demanded Townsend. "Didn't you read my letter?"
"There's the point, Townsend. I did not see your letter. If I had known what you wanted me to do, I should have come here early in the evening. But I didn't. All I knew was that the work was important."
"But the letter, Matt, the letter! I told everything in that. I did not care to trust the information with Carl or Dick, or even with Cassidy. This house has been watched for two days by some fellow who was skulking on the other side of the street. I was afraid—the whole thing had got on my nerves. The worst thing I ever did," Townsend added in bitter self-reproach, "was to let Jurgens, Whistler, and Bangs go when I had them where the law could take care of them."
"This young fellow, who appears to be my double and who has turned up so unfortunately in New Orleans," said Matt, "looks so much like me that he deceived even Carl and Dick. While they were on the way back to the dock, with your letter, they saw the fellow, and gave the letter to him."
Townsend groaned despairingly.