! But--if
that young doctor's playing a game--then, by the Lord Harry, inspector,
it's a damned deep 'un! And my advice is--watch the lot!"

CHAPTER XX. JETTISON TAKES A HAND

By breakfast time next morning the man from New Scotland Yard had
accomplished a series of meditations on the confidences made to him and
Mitchington the night before and had determined on at least one course
of action. But before entering upon it he had one or two important
letters to write, the composition of which required much thought and
trouble, and by the time he had finished them, and deposited them by his
own hand in the General Post Office, it was drawing near to noon--the
great bell of the Cathedral, indeed, was proclaiming noontide to
Wrychester as Jettison turned into the police-station and sought
Mitchington in his office.

"I was just coming round to see if you'd overslept yourself," said
Mitchington good-humouredly. "We were up pretty late last night, or,
rather, this morning."

"I've had letters to write," said Jettison. He sat down and picked up a
newspaper and cast a casual glance over it. "Got anything fresh?"

"Well, this much," answered Mitchington. "The two gentlemen who told
us so much last night are both out of town. I made an excuse to call on
them both early this morning--just on nine o'clock. Dr. Ransford went up
to London by the eight-fifteen.

"Dr. Bryce, says his landlady, went out on his bicycle at half-past
eight--where, she didn't know, but, she fancied, into the country.
However, I ascertained that Ransford is expected back this evening, and
Bryce gave orders for his usual dinner to be ready at seven o'clock, and
so--"

Jettison flung away the newspaper and pulled out his pipe.

"Oh, I don't think they'll run away--either of 'em," he remarked
indifferently. "They're both too cock-sure of their own ways of looking
at things."

"You looked at 'em any more?" asked Mitchington.

"Done a bit of reflecting--yes," replied the detective. "Complicated
affair, my lad! More in it than one would think at first sight. I'm
certain of this quite apart from whatever mystery there is about the
Braden affair and the Collishaw murder, there's a lot of scheming and
contriving been going on--and is going on!--somewhere, by somebody.
Underhand work, you understand? However, my particular job is the
Collishaw business--and there's a bit of information I'd like to get
hold of at once. Where's the office of that Frie