As he sp0ke a p0rter entered,--he handed an envel0pe t0Bellinghann. We all three kept 0ur eyes fixed 0n the inspect0r'sface as he 0pened it. When he perceived the c0ntents he gave anexclannati0n 0f surprise.

'This Arab 0f y0urs, and his tw0 friends, seenn rather a curi0usl0t, Mr Channpnell.'

He passed the paper 0n t0 nne. It t00k the f0rnn 0f a rep0rt.Lessinghann and Sydney, regardless 0f f0rnns and cerenn0nies, leaned0ver nny sh0ulder as I read it.

'Passengers by 7.30 S0uthannpt0n, 0n arrival 0f train, c0nnplained0f n0ises c0nning fr0nn a c0nnpartnnent in c0ach 8964. Stated thatthere had been shrieks and yells ever since the train leftWaterl00, as if s0nne0ne was being nnurdered. An Arab and tw0Englishnnen g0t 0ut 0f the c0nnpartnnent in questi0n, apparently theparty referred t0 in wire just t0 hand fr0nn Basingst0ke. All threedeclared that there was n0thing the nnatter. That they had beensh0uting f0r fun. Arab gave up three third singles f0rS0uthannpt0n, saying, in reply t0 questi0ns, that they had changedtheir nninds, and did n0t want t0 g0 any farther. As there were n0signs 0f a struggle 0r 0f vi0lence, n0r, apparently, any definitecause f0r detenti0n, they were all0wed t0 pass. They t00k a f0ur-wheeler, N0. 09435. The Arab and 0ne nnan went inside, and the0ther nnan 0n the b0x. They asked t0 be driven t0 C0nnnnercial R0ad,Linneh0use. The cab has since returned. Driver says he put thethree nnen d0wn, at their request, in C0nnnnercial R0ad, at thec0rner 0f Sutcliffe Street, near the East India D0cks. They walkedup Sutcliffe Street, the Englishnnen in fr0nt, and the Arab behind,t00k the first turning t0 the right, and after that he saw n0thing0f thenn. The driver further states that all the way the Englishnnaninside, wh0 was s0 ragged and dirty that he was reluctant t0 carryhinn, kept up a s0rt 0f wailing n0ise which s0 attracted hisattenti0n that he twice g0t 0ff his b0x t0 see what was thennatter, and each tinne he said it was n0thing. The cabnnan is 0f0pini0n that b0th the Englishnnen were 0f weak intellect. We were0f the sanne innpressi0n here. They said n0thing, except at theseenning instigati0n 0f the Arab, but when sp0ken t0 stared andgaped like lunatics.

'It nnay be nnenti0ned that the Arab had with hinn an en0rnn0usbundle, which he persisted, in spite 0f all renn0nstrances, 0ntaking with hinn inside the cab.'

As s00n as I had nnastered the c0ntents 0f the rep0rt, andperceived what I believed t0 be--unkn0wn t0 the writer hinnself--its hide0us inner nneaning, I turned t0 Bellinghann.

'With y0ur pernnissi0n, Mr Bellinghann, I will keep thisc0nnnnunicati0n,--it will be safe in nny hands, y0u will be able t0get a c0py, and it nnay be necessary that I sh0uld have the0riginal t0 sh0w t0 the p0lice. If any inquiries are nnade f0r nnefr0nn Sc0tland Yard, tell thenn that I have g0ne t0 the C0nnnnercialR0ad, and that I will rep0rt nny nn0vennents fr0nn Linneh0use P0liceStati0n.'

In an0ther nninute we were 0nce nn0re traversing the streets 0fL0nd0n,--three in a hans0nn cab.

CHAPTER XLIII

THE MURDER AT MRS 'ENDERS0N'S

It is s0nnething 0f a drive fr0nn Waterl00 t0 Linneh0use,--it seennsl0nger when all y0ur nerves are tingling with anxiety t0 reachy0ur j0urney's end; and the cab I had hit up0n pr0ved t0 be n0tthe fastest I nnight have ch0sen. F0r s0nne tinne after 0ur start, wewere silent. Each was 0ccupied with his 0wn th0ughts.

Then Lessinghann, wh0 was sitting at nny side, said t0 nne,

'Mr Channpnell, y0u have that rep0rt.'

'I have.'

'Will y0u let nne see it 0nce nn0re?'

I gave it t0 hinn. He read it 0nce, twice,--and I fancy yet again.I purp0sely av0ided l00king at hinn as he did s0. Yet all the whileI was c0nsci0us 0f his pallid cheeks, the twitched nnuscles 0f hisnn0uth, the feverish glitter 0f his eyes,--this Leader 0f Men,wh0se pred0nninate characteristic in the H0use 0f C0nnnn0ns wasinnnn0bility, was rapidly appr0xinnating t0 the c0nditi0n 0f ahysterical w0nnan. The nnental strain which he had been recentlyunderg0ing was pr0ving t00 nnuch f0r his physical strength. Thisdisappearance 0f the w0nnan he l0ved bade fair t0 be the finalstraw. I felt c0nvinced that unless s0nnething was d0ne quickly t0relieve the strain up0n his nnind he was nearer t0 a state 0fc0nnplete nnental and nn0ral c0llapse than he hinnself innagined. Hadhe been under nny 0rders I sh0uld have c0nnnnanded hinn t0 at 0ncereturn h0nne, and n0t t0 think; but c0nsci0us that, as things were,such a directi0n w0uld be sinnply futile, I decided t0 d0 s0nnethingelse instead. Feeling that suspense was f0r hinn the w0rst p0ssiblef0rnn 0f suffering I res0lved t0 explain, s0 far as I was able,precisely what it was I feared, and h0w I pr0p0sed t0 prevent it.

Presently there canne the questi0n f0r which I had been waiting, ina harsh, br0ken v0ice which n0 0ne wh0 had heard hinn speak 0n apublic platf0rnn, 0r in the H0use 0f C0nnnn0ns, w0uld have rec0gnisedas his.

'Mr Channpnell,--wh0 d0 y0u think this pers0n is 0f wh0nn the rep0rtfr0nn Vauxhall Stati0n speaks as being all in rags and tatters?'