When, shortly after half-past one, the novelist walked on to the platform
at Liverpool Street he was approached by a narrow-faced, middle-aged man
in a blue serge suit who presented the appearance of a ship's engineer on
leave.

As they sat together in a first-class compartment Fetherston explained to
his friend the report made by the police officer at Southminster--the
next station to Burnham-on-Crouch--whereupon Summers remarked: "The
doctor has been down this way once or twice of late. I wonder if he goes
to pay this Mr. Baily, or Bailey, a visit?"

"Perhaps," laughed Walter. "We shall see."

The railway ended at Southminster, but on alighting they had little
difficulty in finding the small police station, where the local sergeant
of police awaited them, having been warned by telephone.

"Well, gentlemen," said the red-faced man, spreading his big hands on his
knees as they sat together in a back room, "Mr. Bailey ain't at home just
now. He's away a lot. The house is a big one--not too big for the four
vanloads of furniture wot came down from London."

"Has he made any friends in the district, do you know?"

"No, not exactly. 'E often goes and 'as a drink at the Bridgewick Arms at
Burnham, close by the coastguard station."

Walter exchanged a meaning glance with his assistant.

"Does he receive any visitors?"

"Very few--he's away such a lot. A woman comes down to see him
sometimes--his sister, they say she is."

"What kind of a woman?"

"Oh, she's a lady about thirty-five--beautifully dressed always. She
generally comes in a dark-green motor-car, which she drives herself. She
was a lady driver during the war."

"Do you know her name?"

"Miss Bailey. She's a foreigner, of course."

"Any other visitors?" asked Fetherston, in his quick, impetuous way, as
he polished his pince-nez.

"One day, very soon after Mr. Bailey took the house, I was on duty at
Southminster Station in the forenoon, and a gentleman and lady arrived
and asked how far it was to The Yews, at Asheldham. I directed them the
way to walk over by Newmoor and across the brook. Then I slipped 'ome,
got into plain clothes, and went along after them by the footpath."

"Why did you do that?" asked Summers.

"Because I wanted to find out something about this foreigner's visitors.
I read at headquarters at Maldon the new instructions about reporting all
foreigners who took houses, and I wanted to----"

"To show that you were on the alert, e