there are no neighbours on my floor, and I guessed I could
risk it. So I left the body in bed dressed up in my pyjamas, with a
revolver lying on the bed-clothes and a considerable mess around. Then
I got into a suit of clothes I had kept waiting for emergencies. I
didn't dare to shave for fear of leaving tracks, and besides, it wasn't
any kind of use my trying to get into the streets. I had had you in my
mind all day, and there seemed nothing to do but to make an appeal to
you. I watched from my window till I saw you come home, and then
slipped down the stair to meet you ... There, Sir, I guess you know
about as much as me of this business.'

He sat blinking like an owl, fluttering with nerves and yet desperately
determined. By this time I was pretty well convinced that he was going
straight with me. It was the wildest sort of narrative, but I had
heard in my time many steep tales which had turned out to be true, and
I had made a practice of judging the man rather than the story. If he
had wanted to get a location in my flat, and then cut my throat, he
would have pitched a milder yarn.

'Hand me your key,' I said, 'and I'll take a look at the corpse.
Excuse my caution, but I'm bound to verify a bit if I can.'

He shook his head mournfully. 'I reckoned you'd ask for that, but I
haven't got it. It's on my chain on the dressing-table. I had to
leave it behind, for I couldn't leave any clues to breed suspicions.
The gentry who are after me are pretty bright-eyed citizens. You'll
have to take me on trust for the night, and tomorrow you'll get proof
of the corpse business right enough.'

I thought for an instant or two. 'Right. I'll trust you for the
night. I'll lock you into this room and keep the key. Just one word,
Mr Scudder. I believe you're straight, but if so be you are not I
should warn you that I'm a handy man with a gun.'

'Sure,' he said, jumping up with some briskness. 'I haven't the
privilege of your name, Sir, but let me tell you that you're a white
man. I'll thank you to lend me a razor.'

I took him into my bedroom and turned him loose. In half an hour's
time a figure came out that I scarcely recognized. Only his gimlety,
hungry eyes were the same. He was shaved clean, his hair was parted in
the middle, and he had cut his eyebrows. Further, he carried himself
as if he had been drilled, and was the very model, even to the brown
complexion, of some British officer who had had a long