Presently he exclaimed:
“Would you kindly excuse me? I’d like another gentleman to hear this story.” And he rose and left.
A few minutes later he returned with a rather taller, clean-shaven man, slightly younger, who had on a dark overcoat and carried a silk hat in his hand.
“This is Mr Holford,” said the first officer, introducing me. “He’s just told me a very remarkable story, which I’d like you to hear for a moment.”
Then, turning to me, he asked me to repeat briefly what I had alleged.
The new-comer, seating himself, listened attentively to every word which fell from my lips. I noticed that he exchanged curious glances with his brother officer.
“Your main reason, then, for telling us this story is in order to compel those responsible for your wife’s absence to reveal her whereabouts, I take it?” asked the younger man.
“Exactly.”
“The false telegram was dispatched from Turin, eh?”
“Yes. Cannot you communicate with the Italian police concerning it?”