investigate----"

But Van Diest negatived this suggestion very heartily. He argued that
persons prying about at this stage of the game would bring suspicions
on themselves.

"Mr. Torrington and all those peoples are very happy to believe that
Barraclough hass given us the slip. S'no goot to make them miserable."

"Still if--without attracting attention----"

"You run along and play," said Hipps.

And so the interview ended.

Smith was heartily offended to be brushed aside in this fashion. He
had served his employers faithfully and with sound intelligence.
Practically the entire control of the ring which had prevented
Barraclough's escape on the preceding days had been in his hands.
Earlier in the night he had received telephone instructions to call off
his watchers and having done so he had driven over to Laurence's house
to satisfy himself that all was in order.

It was quite absurd he should be assailed by these feelings of doubt.
Barraclough had been caught and there the matter ended. But in his own
mind it refused to end. Why hadn't Barraclough put up a fight and how
had Barraclough grown funny lines round his eyes? These were mysteries
which for his own peace he was bound to elucidate.

It was four o'clock when he got to bed but he was up again in good time
next morning, roughly sketching out a programme for the day.

At nine fifteen precisely he was standing by the ticket barrier at
Liverpool Street station awaiting the arrival of the Woodford train.
Presently it steamed alongside the platform and one of the first
persons to get out was Nugent Cassis. He was swinging his cane and
_mirabile dictu_ he was whistling. In his buttonhole he wore a flower.

From a distance Smith had studied Nugent Cassis on many previous
occasions and knew his peculiarities by heart--also he knew that there
was no single precedent for this rare display of jauntiness.

Harrison Smith shook his head hopelessly. It was inconceivable with
all their immense resources that Torrington's crowd had set no watch on
Barraclough's movements over night. Surely they must be aware that his
intended flight had been frustrated. Why Barraclough's servant Doran
would surely have rung up and informed them. He was confident that
somewhere a breakdown had occurred.

As he passed by Nugent Cassis said "good morning" to the ticket
collector--a thing he had never done before.

Harrison Smith got into a taxi and drove to Shepherd Street