e news as to whether
Beale had made his discovery. He interviewed the tramp early this
morning, but apparently extracted very little that was helpful. As a
matter of fact, I came to you to ask if he had got in touch with you."

Kitson shook his head.

"I want to see him about his Green Rust scare--Beale has gone
single-handed into this matter," said the superintendent, shaking his
head, "and he has played the lone game a little too long."

"Is it very serious?"

"It may be an international matter," replied McNorton gravely, "all that
we know at present is this. A big plot is on foot to tamper with the
food supplies of the world and the chief plotter is van Heerden. Beale
knows more about the matter than any of us, but he only gives us
occasional glimpses of the real situation. I have been digging out van
Heerden's record without, however, finding anything very incriminating.
Up to a point he seems to have been a model citizen, though his
associates were not always of the best. He has been seen in the company
of at least three people with a bad history. Milsom, a doctor, convicted
of murder in the 'nineties; Bridgers, an American chemist with two
convictions for illicit trading in drugs; Gregory--who seems to be his
factotum and general assistant, convicted in Manchester for saccharine
smuggling; and a girl called Glaum, who is an alien, charged during the
war for failing to register."

"But against van Heerden?"

"Nothing. He has travelled a great deal in America and on the Continent.
He was in Spain a few years ago and was suspected of being associated
with the German Embassy. His association with the Millinborn murder you
know."

"Yes, I know that," said James Kitson bitterly.

"Beale will have to tell us all he knows," McNorton went on, "and
probably we can tell him something he doesn't know; namely, that van
Heerden conducts a pretty expensive correspondence by cable with all
parts of the world. Something has happened in Cracow which gives a value
to all Beale's suspicions."

Briefly he related the gist of the story which had reached him that
morning.

"It is incredible," said Kitson when the chief had finished. "It would
be humanly impossible for the world to buy at that price. And there is
no reason for it. It happens that I am interested in a milling
corporation and I know that the world's crops are good--in fact, the
harvest will be well above the average. I should say that the Cracow Jew
was talki