He was a man between fifty and sixty, tall and
rather thin.
Indeed, the first thought he had was its extreme
simplicity.
There was something that chased me - God knows what
it was; a sort of animal. And most earnestly I am desirous that he should not know I
sent you.
And behind him, did he but know it, stalked the
shadow of death. It looks to me like a very pleasant sort of holiday. But its big
enough for a man without ambitions. To the clerk who answered: Send a man to pick up
Pheeney and bring him here.
Half way through I said I wanted to go out, and,
once outside, I bolted. Perhaps it was the geranium red of her lips that, by
contrast, gave the illusion of pallor.
Tommy was in no sense abashed, I just happened to
call round to see my old friend Stalletti.
Dick, without being extremely wealthy, was in a
very comfortable position.
Dick flushed guiltily, but the lawyer went on,
without apparently noticing his embarrassment. His linen was speckless; his clothes
were the product of a West End tailor. I know because I signed your receipt, she
said.
You are certainly the naivest detective I have ever
met!
That is to say, he lives nowhere longer than two or
three days together. I should have thought you would have remembered his
name.
She did not see him, nor did he make himself known
to her.
The tritest thing you can do is to eat and
sleep.
You see, we arent used to these exciting
interludes, and a police visitation gets into ones head. Why dont you stay here
tonight and write your story?
Tommy, but in my bright lexicon there is no such
word as reform. Now, Lew, let me hear the truth - what was the work you were doing
on Tuesday night? Letting himself into his flat, he found it in darkness, and to his
surprise Pheeney had gone. Im not being unkind really, she smiled, as he
protested.
He took an envelope from his pocket addressed to
himself c/o Bertram Cody, Esq.
I knew the man who took it was a foreigner, because
you told me so.
Then suddenly he saw a look of understanding come
to her face.
Switch off the phone; Im not at home to anybody,
however important. Tommy, but in my bright lexicon there is no such word as reform.
I was wondering when you were coming into the library. This arrangement he conveyed
to Mr Havelock.
Goin to bed, he growled, gathered up his winnings
and rose.
She was coolness itself when at last they
met.
Dick Martin had seen him in many circumstances, but
never so beautifully and perfectly arrayed. Ill give you his history, Mr Martin, so
that you will understand it better, he went on.