It was four this morning and
day just beginning to break, sir, when I heard a noise, and getting up,
looked out of my window, and there he was, a-coming up the drive very
cautious-like and acting as though he didn't want to be seen, as no
doubt he didn't, sir, considering that master and mistress didn't know
he was out at all."

"Didn't know he was out? How do you know that?"

"Because, sir, he said he was going to sit up and write letters when the
master gave the order for Johnston to lock up after Lady Katharine and
Miss Lorne returned from Clavering Close; and Mr. Harry he gave me a
half a crown to see that the door wasn't bolted before I went to bed, as
he intended to slip out and visit a friend. Of course I wouldn't have
said anything about it to anybody, sir, if Hawkins hadn't told me that
you said he was with you, which, of course, means that you were the
friend he was going to see, and not, as I'd supposed, the Lady in
Pink."

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

WHEN FOUR AND FOUR MAKE EIGHT

In spite of himself Cleek's nerves gave an absolute jump, but being an
adept in the art of dissimulation, he laughed lightly and gave Hamer a
quizzical look.

"The Lady in Pink, eh?" he said cheerily. "You know more than your
prayers, I'm afraid, Hamer. Now what in the world made you think he'd be
calling on her last night, eh?"

"Well, sir, I can't exactly say what, unless it was a sort of putting
two and two together, sir. I'd seen him with her over Kingston way on my
day off, only she wasn't dressed in pink then, of course. And last
night, a deal earlier in the evening, just about the time Lady Katharine
and Miss Lorne was starting for Clavering Close it was, sir, I happens
to go round back and slip into Mulberry Lane for a pull at my pipe on
the sly--master never letting any of the servants smoke in the grounds,
and housekeeper objecting to pipes in the servants' hall--and just as I
comes out, there she was a-standing in the shadow of the trees, and so
close up to the wall that I nigh barged into her, sir."

"Who? The Lady in Pink?"

"Yes, sir. Took her by surprise, coming out in that unexpected manner,
and she just had time to throw a pink scarf she was wearing over her
face and hurry away, sir, before I could so much as apologize. But quick
as she was it didn't prevent me a-seeing of her, sir, and recognizing
her as the lady I'd seen Mr. Harry with on my day off, although, as I
say, sir, she was dressed quite dif