Milsom. Whether the car
had gone east or north, south or west, nobody knew.

In the early editions of the evening newspapers, side by side with the
account of the panic scenes on 'Change was the notice:

"The Air Ministry announce the suspension of Order 63 of
Trans-Marine Flight Regulations. No aeroplane will be allowed to
cross the coastline by day or night without first descending at a
coast control station. Aerial patrols have orders to force down any
machine which does not obey the 'Descend' signal. This signal is
now displayed at all coast stations."

Every railway station in England, every port of embarkation, were
watched by police. The one photograph of van Heerden in existence,
thousands of copies of an excellent snapshot taken by one of Beale's
assistants, were distributed by aeroplane to every district centre. At
two o'clock Hilda Glaum was arrested and conveyed to Bow Street. She
showed neither surprise nor resentment and offered no information as to
van Heerden's whereabouts.

Throughout the afternoon there were the usual crops of false arrest and
detention of perfectly innocent people, and at five o'clock it was
announced that all telegraphic communication with the Continent and with
the Western Hemisphere was suspended until further notice.

Beale came back from Barking, whither he had gone to interview a
choleric commercial traveller who bore some facial resemblance to van
Heerden, and had been arrested in consequence, and discovered that
something like a Council of War was being held in Kitson's private room.

McNorton and two of his assistants were present. There was an
Under-Secretary from the Foreign Office, a great scientist whose
services had been called upon, and a man whom he recognized as a member
of the Committee of the Corn Exchange. He shook his head in answer to
McNorton's inquiring glance, and would have taken his seat at the table,
but Kitson, who had risen on his entrance, beckoned him to the window.

"We can do without you for a little while, Beale," he said, lowering his
voice. "There's somebody there," he jerked his head to a door which led
to another room of his suite, "who requires an explanation, and I think
your time will be so fully occupied in the next few days that you had
better seize this opportunity whilst you have it."

"Miss Cresswell!" said Beale, in despair.

The old man nodded slowly.

"What does she know?"

"That is for y