also red and rumpled, and
though he was not enormously stout, he was clumsily built, with a
decided paunch.

When he had sat down at O'Reilly's table, the absence of near neighbours
and the momentary inattention of waiters gave the two men a chance to
speak freely. "You sent a hurry call. Something up at Krantz's this
peaceful Sabbath?"

"There's more up than I want to come out," said O'Reilly. "Things have
changed since I 'phoned, but there's more need of you than ever. The
girl I wanted to help was with me. While I talked to you, she
disappeared...."

"Disappeared!"

"Yes. I couldn't follow, because when I knew what had happened it was
too late to get on her track; otherwise you'd have found me flown. I'd
have sacrificed you for her, if there'd been even a sporting chance. But
I didn't see one. Maybe you will, when I put you wise: or somebody may
show up whose face will give you a tip. I'll tell you what I
know--except the name of a lady which mustn't come into the business
even with discretion incarnate like you."

"Reservations often spoil jobs," said Denham.

"Mine won't."

The coming of a waiter broke the conversation.

"Anybody interesting here?" asked Justin, when the waiter had gone.

"No familiar faces. But there may be, later."

O'Reilly shook his head. "It's a quarter to twelve. The man or men who
made an appointment--not with me; with the girl who's gone--should have
turned up at eleven-thirty."

"If they're sure of themselves--sure their faces aren't known--they're
probably here," remarked Denham. "But out with your story. A lot may
hang on that."

"A lot does," said O'Reilly; and told it. He omitted no detail given by
Clo except such as led too close to Mrs. Sands. O'Reilly hardly
disguised the fact that the crime and its punishment were of slight
importance to him compared with the finding of Clo Riley. "I don't want
her mixed up in this murder business," he finished, "and she doesn't
want to be mixed up in it, not for her own sake, but because of the
woman she's protecting. You could get the name of that woman, but I ask
you not to concern yourself with it."

"Right you are," Denham reassured him. "I've got enough to do without
meddling in other folks' business. The lady outside the case doesn't
exist. But as for 'Churn' being Lorenz Czerny, it doesn't go without
saying that we shall spot Chuff and Jake, and the rest of the gang
through him. That will depend on himself, and his Moll--