ink I should, at any
rate, begin in this country. I rather think you might make a beginning
at Denson. That is what I should do if the case were mine. See if
anything can be ascertained of his previous life--probably under another
name or names. _He_ may have been in China. Yes, certainly, as we stand
at present, I should begin at Denson."

"I think I will," the inspector replied, "though there's precious little
to begin on there. I'd like to have you with me on this job, but, of
course, that's impossible, since it's purely a police matter. But
something, some information, may come your way, and in that case you'll
let me know at once, of course."

"Of course I shall--it's a serious matter, as well as a strange one. I
wish you all luck!"

Plummer departed to grapple with his difficulties, but in fact it was
Hewitt who first heard fresh news of the Red Triangle, and that from a
wholly unexpected quarter.

It was, indeed, only two days after Plummer's visit that Kerrett brought
into Hewitt's private room the card of the Rev. James Potswood, with a
request for a consultation. Mr. Potswood's name was known to Hewitt, as,
indeed, it was to many people, as that of a most devoted clergyman,
rector of a large parish in north-west London, who devoted not only all
his time and personal strength to his work, but also spent every penny
of his private income on his parish. It was not a small income that Mr.
Potswood spent in this unselfish way, for he came of a wealthy family,
and though a good part of his parish was inhabited by well-to-do people,
there was quite enough poverty and distress in the poorer quarters to
cause this excellent man often to regret that his resources were not
even larger. He was a spare active grey-whiskered man of nearly sixty,
with prominent and not very handsome features, though his face was full
of frank and simple kindliness.

"My errand, Mr. Hewitt," he said, "is of a rather vague, not to say
visionary, character, and I doubt if you can help me. But at any rate I
will explain the trouble as well as I can. In the first place, am I
right in supposing that you were in some way professionally engaged in
connection with that extraordinary case of murder a week or so ago--the
case in which a man named Denson was found dead on the steps by the Duke
of York's column?"

"Yes--and no," Hewitt answered. "I was professionally engaged on a
certain matter about which you will not wish me to particularise--si