clever men always make some trifling
error which brings them to justice. I don't know how many great schemes
I have seen brought to nothing through some such act of folly as this,
some piece of theatrical bravado which benefited the criminal nothing at
all."

"Good gracious," said McNorton wonderingly, "of course, that's what he
is going to do. I never thought of that. It is in the neighbourhood of
Horsham we must look for him, and I think if we can get one of the
Messrs. Billingham out of bed in a couple of hours' time we shall do a
good night's work."

They went outside and again questioned the policeman. He remembered the
car turning round and going back the way it had come. It had probably
taken one of the innumerable side-roads which lead from the main
thoroughfare, and in this way they had missed it.

"I want to go to the '_Megaphone_' office first," said Beale. "I have
some good friends on that paper and I am curious to know how bad the
markets are. The night cables from New York should be coming in by now."

In his heart was a sickening fear which he dared not express. What would
the morrow bring forth? If this one man's cupidity and hate should
succeed in releasing the terror upon the world, what sort of a world
would it leave? Through the windows of the car he could see the placid
policemen patrolling the streets, caught a glimpse of other cars
brilliantly illuminated bearing their laughing men and women back to
homes, who were ignorant of the monstrous danger which threatened their
security and life.

He passed the facades of great commercial mansions which in a month's
time might but serve to conceal the stark ruin within.

To him it was a night of tremendous tragedy, and for the second time in
his life in the numbness induced by the greater peril and the greater
anxiety he failed to wince at the thought of the danger in which Oliva
stood.

Indeed, analysing his sensations she seemed to him on this occasion less
a victim than a fellow-worker and he found a strange comfort in that
thought of partnership.

The _Megaphone_ buildings blazed with light when the car drew up to the
door, messenger-boys were hurrying through the swing-doors, the two
great elevators were running up and down without pause. The grey editor
with a gruff voice threw over a bundle of flimsies.

"Here are the market reports," he growled, "they are not very
encouraging."

Beale read them and whistled, and the editor eyed him k