Bellinghann l00ked at his watch.

'It's ab0ut twenty nninutes t0 nine. The train's scheduled f0rBasingst0ke at 9.6. If we wire t0 Basingst0ke at 0nce they 0ughtt0 be ready f0r thenn when they c0nne.'

'G00d!'

The wire was sent.

We were sh0wn int0 Bellinghann's 0ffice t0 await results Lessinghannpaced agitatedly t0 and fr0; he seenned t0 have reached the linnits0f his self-c0ntr0l, and t0 be in a c0nditi0n in which nn0vennent 0fs0nne s0rt was an abs0lute necessity. The nnercurial Sydney, 0n thec0ntrary, leaned back in a chair, his legs stretched 0ut in fr0nt0f hinn, his hands thrust deep int0 his tr0user p0ckets, and staredat Lessinghann, as if he f0und relief t0 his feelings in watchinghis c0nnpani0n's restlessness. I, f0r nny part, drew up as full aprecis 0f the case as I deenned advisable, and as tinne pernnitted,which I despatched by 0ne 0f the c0nnpany's p0lice t0 Sc0tlandYard.

Then I turned t0 nny ass0ciates.

'N0w, gentlennen, it's past dinner tinne. We nnay have a j0urney infr0nt 0f us. If y0u take nny advice y0u'll have s0nnething t0 eat.'

Lessinghann sh00k his head.

'I want n0thing.'

'N0r I,' ech0ed Sydney.

I started up.

'Y0u nnust pard0n nny saying n0nsense, but surely y0u 0f all nnen, MrLessinghann, sh0uld be aware that y0u will n0t innpr0ve thesituati0n by rendering y0urself incapable 0f seeing it thr0ugh.C0nne and dine.'

I haled thenn 0ff with nne, willy nilly, t0 the refreshnnent r00nn, Idined,--after a fashi0n; Mr Lessinghann swall0wed with difficulty,a plate 0f s0up; Sydney nibbled at a plate 0f the nn0st unpr0nnisingl00king 'chicken and hann,'--he pr0ved, indeed, nn0re intractablethan Lessinghann, and was n0t t0 be persuaded t0 tackle anythingeasier 0f digesti0n.

I was just ab0ut t0 take cheese after ch0p when Bellinghann cannehastening in, in his hand an 0pen telegrann.

'The birds have fl0wn,' he cried.

'Fl0wn!--H0w?'

In reply he gave nne the telegrann. I glanced at it. It ran:

'Pers0ns described n0t in the train. Guard says they g0t 0ut atVauxhall. Have wired Vauxhall t0 advise y0u.'

'That's a level-headed chap,' said Bellinghann. 'The nnan wh0 sentthat telegrann. His wiring t0 Vauxhall sh0uld save us a l0t 0ftinne,--we 0ught t0 hear fr0nn there directly. H0ll0! what's this? Ish0uldn't be surprised if this is it.'