find the room he required at the
little restaurant and have to try elsewhere.

This second call lasted longer than the first, and a quarter of an hour
had passed before the distiller emerged and reentered his taxi. This
time the chase was short. At the Trocadero Archer got out, dismissed his
taxi, and passed into the building. Willis, following discreetly, was in
time to see the other seat himself at a table and leisurely take up the
bill of fare. Believing the quarry would remain where he was for another
half hour at least, the inspector slipped unobserved out of the room,
and jumping once more into his taxi, was driven back to the little
restaurant off Cranbourne Street. He sent for the manager and drew him
aside.

"I'm Inspector Willis from Scotland Yard," he said with a sharpness
strangely at variance with his usual easy-going mode of address.
"See here." He showed his credentials, at which the manager bowed
obsequiously. "I am following that gentleman who was in here inquiring
about a room a few minutes ago. I want to know what passed between you."

The manager, who was a sly, evil-looking person seemingly of Eastern
blood, began to hedge, but Willis cut him short with scant ceremony.

"Now look here, my friend," he said brusquely, "I haven't time to waste
with you. That man that you were talking to is wanted for murder, and
what you have to decide is whether you're going to act with the police
or against them. If you give us any, trouble you may find yourself in
the dock as an accomplice after the fact. In any case it's not healthy
for a man in your position to run up against the police."

His bluff had more effect that it might have had with an Englishman
in similar circumstances, and the manager became polite and anxious to
assist. Yes, the gentleman had come about a room. He had ordered
lunch in a private room for a party of seven for 1.30 on the following
Tuesday. He had been very particular about the room, had insisted
on seeing it, and had approved of it. It appeared the party had some
business to discuss after lunch, and the gentleman had required a
guarantee that they would not be interrupted. The gentleman had given
his name as Mr. Hodgson. The price had been agreed on.

Willis in his turn demanded to see the room, and he was led upstairs
to a small and rather dark chamber, containing a fair-sized oval table
surrounded by red plush chairs, a red plush sofa along one side, and
a narrow sideboard alon