se I might have been forced, as a foreigner,
to salute the hands of all the ladies in the house. I learnt to
click my heels years ago in Germany." Again there was a suspicious
movement at the corners of Malcolm Sage's mouth.

"But----" began Sir Lyster.

"To identify the scent?" broke in Mr. Llewellyn John.

Malcolm Sage inclined his read slightly.

"The Foreign Office messengers?" queried Lord Beamdale.

"I decided that pedestrians and cyclists would do as well. I merely
wanted the house watched. There were quite a number of casualties to
cars and bicycles in the neighbourhood," he added dryly.

"But why did you cut us off from the telephone?" enquired Mr.
Llewellyn John.

"The accomplice might have got through, and I could afford to take
no risks."

"Well, you have done splendidly, Sage," said Mr. Llewellyn John
heartily, "and we are all greatly obliged. By the way, there's
another little problem awaiting you. Someone broke into the garage
last night and wrecked all the cars and bicycles----"

"Except two," said Malcolm Sage.

"Then you've heard." Mr. Llewellyn John looked at him in surprise.

"The man who did it is in my car outside with Cressit."

"You've got him as well?" cried Mr. Llewellyn John excitedly. "Sage,
you're a miracle of sagacity," he added, again mentally noting the
phrase.

"The missing pencils, floats, and pedals you will find on the
left-hand side of the drive about half way down, under a laurel
bush," said Malcolm Sage quietly.

"And who is this fellow who did this scandalous thing?" demanded Sir
Lyster.

"My chauffeur."

"Your chauffeur!"

"I could not risk the thief having access to a fast car."

"But what if this fellow Cressit refuses to go?" enquired Lord
Beamdale.

"He won't," said Malcolm Sage grimly. "D.O.R.A. is still in
operation. I had to remind him of the fact."

Malcolm Sage picked up his hat and coat and walked towards the door.

"I must be going," he said. "I have still several things to attend
to. You won't forget about the plunder from the garage?" he added.

"But what am I to do about Miss Blair?" asked Sir Lyster.

"That's a question I think you will find answered in the Gospel of
St. Luke--the seventh chapter and I think the forty-seventh verse";
and with that he was gone, leaving three Ministers gazing at one
another in dumb astonishment.

Had a cynic been peeping into the library of The Towers a few
minutes later, he would have discovered thre