Manderson's
mind was affected to some extent by this menace that Bunner believes in?
For instance, it was rather an extraordinary thing to send you posting
off like that in the middle of the night."

"About ten o'clock, to be exact," replied Marlowe. "Though mind you, if
he'd actually roused me out of my bed at midnight I shouldn't have been
very much surprised. It all chimes in with what we've just been saying.
Manderson wasn't mad in the least, but he had a strong streak of the
national taste for dramatic proceedings; he was rather fond of his
well-earned reputation for unexpected strokes and for going for his
object with ruthless directness through every opposing consideration. He
had decided suddenly that he wanted to have word from this man Harris--"

"Who is Harris?" interjected Trent.

"Nobody knows. Even Bunner never heard of him, and can't imagine what
the business in hand was. All I know is that when I went up to London
last week to attend to various things I booked a deck-cabin, at
Manderson's request, for a Mr. George Harris on the boat that sailed on
Monday. It seems that Manderson suddenly found he wanted news from
Harris which presumably was of a character too secret for the telegraph;
and there was no train that served; so I was sent off as you know."

Trent looked round to make sure that they were not overheard, then faced
the other gravely. "There is one thing I may tell you," he said quietly,
"that I don't think you know. Martin the butler caught a few words at
the end of your conversation with Manderson in the orchard before you
started with him in the car. He heard him say: 'If Harris is there every
moment is of importance.' Now, Mr. Marlowe, you know my business here. I
am sent to make inquiries, and you mustn't take offense. I want to ask
you if, in the face of that sentence, you will repeat that you know
nothing of what the business was."

Marlowe shook his head. "I know nothing, indeed. I'm not easily
offended, and your question is quite fair. What passed during that
conversation I have already told the detective. Manderson plainly said
to me that he could not tell me what it was all about. He simply wanted
me to find Harris, tell him that he desired to know how matters stood,
and bring back a letter or message from him. Harris, I was further told,
might not turn up. If he did, 'every moment was of importance.' And now
you know as much as I do."

"That talk took place _before_ he told his