After a few moments a short, stout, clean-shaven man with a round, pleasant face, and dressed in black, entered and bowed to his chief.
He carried his soft felt hat and cane in his hand, and seated himself at the invitation of Van Huffel.
"This is Inspector Frémy—Monsieur Edouard Royle, of Londres," exclaimed the Chef du Sureté, introducing us.
The detective, the most famous police officer in Belgium, who had been for years under Monsieur Hennion, in Paris, and had now transferred his services to Belgium, bowed and looked at me with his small, inquisitive eyes.
"Monsieur Frémy. This gentleman has called with regard to the case of Marie Bracq," said Van Huffel in French.
The detective was quickly interested.
"She is dead—been assassinated in London," his chief went on.
Frémy stared at the speaker in surprise, and the two men exchanged strange glances.
"Monsieur tells me that the man, Sir Digby Kemsley, wanted by Scotland Yard, is accused of the murder of Marie Bracq—and, further," added Van Huffel, "the accused has been here in Brussels quite recently."
"In Brussels?" echoed the round-faced man.