At a little after noon on the following day Captain Granet descended from a taxicab in the courtyard of the Milan Hotel, and, passing through the swing doors, made his way to the inquiry office.

A suave, black-coated young clerk hastened to the desk.
"Can you tell me," Granet inquired, "whether a gentlemen named Guillot is staying here ?" The young man bowed.
"Monsieur Guillot arrived last night, sir," he announced.

"He has just rung down to say that if a gentlemen called to see him he could be shown up.

Here, page," he went on, turning to a diminutive youth in the background, "show this gentleman to number 322." Granet followed the boy to the lift and was conducted to a room on the third floor.

The door was opened by a tall, white-haired Frenchman.
"Monsieur Guillot ?" Captain Granet inquired pleasantly.