t where you are, Crawley!" he said. "You are close enough now
to be unpleasant."

"So you've got my record, have you?" said the other, with an oath.
"Tucked away with your marriage lines, I'll bet, and the certificate of
birth of the kids you left to starve with their mother."

"Get out of here!" said Minute, with dangerous quiet. "Get away while
you're safe!"

There was something in his eye which cowed the half-drunken man who,
turning with a laugh, picked up his helmet and walked from the room.

The hour was seven-thirty-five by Constable Wiseman's watch; for, slowly
patrolling back, he saw the sergeant come flying out of the gateway on
his bicycle and turn down toward the town. Constable Wiseman
subsequently explained that he looked at his watch because he had a
regular point at which he should meet Sergeant Smith at seven-forty-five
and he was wondering whether his superior would return.

The chronology of the next three hours has been so often given in
various accounts of the events which marked that evening that I may be
excused if I give them in detail.

A car, white with dust, turned into the stable yard of the Star Hotel,
Maidstone. The driver, in a dust coat and a chauffeur's cap, descended
and handed over the car to a garage keeper with instructions to clean it
up and have it filled ready for him the following morning. He gave
explicit instructions as to the number of tins of petrol he required to
carry always and tipped the garage keeper handsomely in advance.

He was described as a young man with a slight black mustache, and he was
wearing his motor goggles when he went into the office of the hotel and
ordered a bed and a sitting room. Therefore his face was not seen. When
his dinner was served, it was remarked by the waiter that his goggles
were still on his face. He gave instructions that the whole of the
dinner was to be served at once and put upon the sideboard, and that he
did not wish to be disturbed until he rang the bell.

When the bell rang the waiter came to find the room empty. But from the
adjoining room he received orders to have breakfast by seven o'clock the
following morning.

At seven o'clock the driver of the car paid his bill, his big motor
goggles still upon his face, again tipped the garage keeper handsomely,
and drove his car from the yard. He turned to the right and appeared to
be taking the London Road, but later in the day, as has been
established, the car was seen on it