just after he got that crack on the head he did see a
bulky package taken downstairs. But then he says he heard the door open
and a cab whistled for by the night porter. Now that's impossible,
seeing that the night porter got his quietus also. Now who called up
that cab? Evidently somebody did, and no doubt the cab came. Well, we
shall find that cab. Saunders, go at once and see what you can do in
the direction of finding that cab."

The mystery seemed to get deeper and deeper the more Field got on the
track. He could quite understand how it was that both of these hotel
servants had been put out of action, so to speak, but who was the grey
lady who had given the note of warning, and why had those two men been
placed in the suite of rooms belonging to the Rajah of Ahbad? The
gagging and the hiding were all right, and that line of policy gave all
the more time to the ruffians who had done this thing. Also it was
possible on reflection to understand why the Rajah's room had been
chosen, as no search, but for the bloody door handle, would have been
made there. But where had those people procured those patent Brahma lock
keys from?

The wild supposition that the Rajah himself was in the business was
absurd. That idea might be dismissed on the spot. The more Field thought
of it the more was he puzzled. He would take an early opportunity of
seeing the Rajah.

"He's a quiet sort of man," the hotel manager explained. "I should fancy
that he has an English mother, by the look of him. Anyway, he is English
to all intents and purposes, having been educated at Eton and Oxford. He
only took these rooms a few months ago; he was brought here after a bad
illness, and when he went away he was carried to his carriage. But they
say he's all right now. But, Mr. Inspector, you don't mean to say that
you think that the Rajah----"

"Has any hand in this business? Of course I don't," Field said testily.
"I'm just a little put out this morning, so you must forgive my bad
temper. The more one digs into the thing, the more black and misty it
becomes. I think I'll go as far as the Yard and have a talk to one or
two of our foreign men. Well, Saunders?"

"Well, I've done some good," Saunders said. "I have not found the cabman
we want, but I've got on the track of another who can tell me something
useful. He's a night man, and he is waiting down in the hall for you at
this moment, sir."

"I think I'll go along, if you don't mind," Berrington su