Lay you a sovereign to a
sixpence, Mr. Van Nant, he gets to the bottom of it and finds out what
became of George Carboys in forty-eight hours after he begins on the
case."

"And when will he begin, Mr. Narkom? To-morrow? The next day? Or not
this week at all? When, sir--when?"

"When? Why, bless your heart, man, he's begun already--or, at least,
will do so in another hour and a half. He's promised to meet us at your
house at eleven o'clock to-night. Chose that place because he lives at
Putney, and it's nearer. Eleven was the hour he set, though, of course,
he may arrive sooner; there's no counting on an erratic fellow like that
chap. So we'll make it eleven, and possess our souls in patience until
it's time to start."

"But, my dear Mr. Narkom, wouldn't it be better, or, at least, more
hospitable if I went over to meet him, in case he does come earlier?
There's no one in the house, remember, and it's locked up."

"Lord bless you, that won't bother him! Never travels without his tools,
you know--skeleton keys, and all that--and he'll be in the house before
you can wink an eye. Still, of course, if you'd rather be there to admit
him in the regulation way--"

"It would at least be more courteous, Mr. Narkom," Miss Morrison
interposed. "So great a man doing so great a favour--Oh, yes, I really
think that Mr. Van Nant should."

"Oh, well, let him then, by all means," said Narkom. "Go, if you choose,
Mr. Van Nant. I'd let you have my motor, only I must get over to the
station and 'phone up headquarters on another affair in five minutes."

"It doesn't matter, thank you all the same. I can get a taxi at the top
of the road," said Van Nant; and then, making his excuses to Miss
Morrison and her father, he took up his hat and left the house. As a
matter of fact, it was only courtesy that made him say that about the
taxi, for there is rarely one to be found waiting about in the
neighbourhood of Wandsworth Common after half-past nine o'clock at
night, and nobody could have been more surprised than he when he
actually did come across one, loitering about aimlessly and quite empty,
before he had gone two dozen yards.

He engaged it on the spot, jumped into it, gave the chauffeur his
directions, and a minute later was whizzing away to the isolated house.
It was eight minutes past ten when he reached it, standing as black and
lightless as when he left it four hours ago, and, after paying off the
chauffeur and dismissing the v