bout this time that a long low car
passed near the door of the restaurant, crossing the traffic stream of
Piccadilly to draw up at the corner of old Bond Street.

From the car Monte Irvin alighted and, telling the man to wait, set out
on foot. Ten paces along Bond Street he encountered a small, stooping
figure which became detached from the shadows of a shop door. The light
of a street lamp shone down upon the sharp, hooked nose and into the
cunning little brown eyes of Brisley, of Spinker's Detective Agency.
Monte Irvin started.

"Ah, Brisley!" he said, "I was looking for you. Are they still there?"

"Probably, sir." Brisley licked his lips. "My colleague, Gunn, reports
no one came out whilst I was away 'phoning."

"But the whole thing seems preposterous. Are there no other offices in
the block where they might be?"

"I personally saw Mr. Gray, Sir Lucien Pyne and the lady go into
Kazmah's. At that time--roughly, ten to seven--all the other offices had
been closed, approximately, one hour."

"There is absolutely no possibility that they might have come out unseen
by you?"

"None, sir. I should not have troubled a client if in doubt. Here's
Gunn."

Old Bond Street now was darkened and deserted; the yellow mist had
turned to fine rain, and Gunn, his hands thrust in his pockets, was
sheltering under the porch of the arcade. Gunn possessed a purple
complexion which attained to full vigor of coloring in the nasal region.
His moustache of dirty grey was stained brown in the centre as if by
frequent potations of stout, and his bulky figure was artificially
enlarged by the presence of two overcoats, the outer of which was a
waterproof and the inner a blue garment appreciably longer both in
sleeve and skirt than the former. The effect produced was one of great
novelty. Gunn touched the brim of his soft felt hat, which he wore
turned down all round apparently in imitation of a flower-pot.

"All snug, sir," he said, hoarsely and confidentially, bending forward
and breathing the words into Irvin's ear. "Snug as a bee in a hive.
You're as good as a bachelor again."

Monte Irvin mentally recoiled.

"Lead the way to the door of this place," he said tersely.

"Yes, sir, this way, sir. Be careful of the step there. You may remark
that the outer door is not yet closed. I am informed upon reliable
authority as the last to go locks the door. Hence we perceive that the
last has not yet gone. It is likewise opened by the firs