陌生男子依西多尔的出现令大家始料不及。依西多尔拿出一张酷似琼斯的照片，说他们认识，并说琼斯并非他的本名，世界上根本就没有桑荷阿岛这样一个地方。约翰叔叔和帕齐听闻都惊诧不已。依西多尔所言是真的吗？
Perhaps the cigar was half gone when Patsy gave a sudden start and squeezed Uncle John's hand，which she had been holding in both her own.
"What is it，my dear？"
"The man I told you of.There he is，just across the lobby.The man with the gray clothes and gray hair.""Oh，yes；the one lighting a cigar.""Precisely."Uncle John gazed across the lobby reflectively.The stranger's eyes roveda carelessly around the big room and then he moved with deliberate steps toward their corner.He passed several vacant chairs and setteesb on his way and ？nally paused before a lounging—chair not six feet distant from the one occupied by Mr.Merrick.
"Pardon me；is this seat engaged，sir？"he asked.
"No，"replied Uncle John，not very graciously，for it was a deliberate intrusion.
The stranger sat down and for a time smoked his cigar in silence.He was so near them that Patsy forborec any conversation，knowing he would overhear it.
Suddenly the man turned squarely in their direction and addressed them.
"I hope you will pardon me，Mr.Merrick，if I venture toask a question，"said he.
"Well，sir？"
"I saw you talking with Mr.Jones this evening—A.Jones，you know，who says he came from Sangoa.""Didn't he ？"demanded the old gentleman.The stranger smiled.
"Perhaps；once on a time；allowing such a place exists.
But his last journey was here from Austria.""Indeed！"Mr.Merrick and Patsy were both staring at the man incredulously.
"I am quite sure of that statement，sir；but I cannot proveit，as yet.""Ah！I thought not."Patsy had just told her uncle how she had detected this man stealthily watching Jones，and how he had followed the boy when he retired to his room.The present interview had，they both knew，something to do with this singular action.Therefore Mr.Merrick restrained his indignation at the stranger's pointed questioning.He realized quite well that the man had come to their corner determined to catechizea them and gain what information he could.Patsy realized this，too.So，being forewarnedb，they hoped to learn his object without granting him the satisfaction of "pumping"them.
"I suppose you are friends of this Mr.A.Jones，"was hisnext remark.
"We are acquaintances，"said Mr.Merrick.
"Has he ever mentioned his adventures in Austria to you ？""Are you a friend of Mr.Jones ？"demanded uncle John."I am not even an acquaintance，"said the man，smiling.
"But I am interested in him，through a friend of mine who met him abroad.Permit me to introduce myself，sir."He handed them a card which read："ISADORE LE DRIEUXImporter of Pearls and Precious Stones 36Maiden Lane，New York City.""I have connections abroad，in nearly all countries，"continued the man，"and it is through some of them that I have knowledge of this young fellow who has taken the name ofA.Jones.In fact，I have a portrait of the lad，taken in Paris，which I will show you."He searched in his pocket and produced an envelope from which he carefully removed a photograph，which he handed to Uncle John.Patsy examined it，too，with a start of surprise.The thin features，the large serious eyes，even the closely set lips were indeed those of A.Jones.But in the picture he wore a small mustache.
"It can't be our A.Jones，"murmured Patsy."This one is older.""That is on account of the mustache，"remarked LeDrieux，who was closely watching their faces."This portraitwas taken more than a year ago.""Oh；but he was in Sangoa then，"protested Patsy，who was really bewildered by the striking resemblancea.
The stranger smiled indulgently.
"As a matter of fact，there is no Sangoa."said he；"so we may doubt the young man's assertion that he was ever there.""Why are you interested in him ？"inquired Mr.Merrick.