"Yes, m'sieur."
"Well, curiously enough, only this morning I have had a similar inquiry from your Scotland Yard. They are asking if we are acquainted with any person named Marie Bracq. And we are, m'sieur," said Monsieur Van Huffel. "But first please explain what you know of her."
"I have no personal acquaintance with her," was my reply. "I know of her—that is all. But it may not be the same person."
He opened a drawer, turned over a quantity of papers, and a few seconds later produced a photograph which he passed across to me.
It was a half-length cabinet portrait of a girl in a fur coat and hat. But no second glance was needed to tell me that it was actually the picture of the girl found murdered in London.
"I see you recognise her, m'sieur," remarked the police official in a cold, matter-of-fact tone. "Please tell me all you know."
I paused for a few seconds with the portrait in my hand. My object was to get all the facts I could from the functionary before me, and give him the least information possible.
"Unfortunately, I know but very little," was my rather lame reply. "This lady was a friend of a lady friend of mine."
"An English lady was your friend—eh?"
"Yes."