Michel was on hand when the carriage arrived at the Chamounix Hotel, and saw Miss Ricardo and Miss Verney go out to look at it. There were two good horses; the vehicle was a well-appointed landau, with a rack for light luggage behind; and the driver was a noticeably smart young man. He had a clean-shaven face, as dark as a Spaniard's, but rather long, wavy black hair, which fell from under a broad-brimmed hat over the collar of his coat. He was tall, with a fine slim figure, and was dressed like a peasant.
Miss Ricardo and Miss Verney seemed to be very much interested in the carriage, which arrived toward evening, and they asked the picturesque young man a number of questions in Italian, of which Michel understood only a few words. They were answered in the same language—and it surprised the detective that the driver from St. Pierre de Chartreuse should be an Italian. He reflected, however, that "Ricardo" was an Italian name, and this expedition was Miss Ricardo's affair. That might explain the seeming mystery, yet he resolved to find out all about the matter, when he had followed the ladies to St. Pierre de Chartreuse, as he not only intended to do, but to be close upon their heels. Even apparently unimportant details were of interest when connected with this case, and nobody could tell what bearing they might have upon it.
