selecting with great care a cigarette from the case he took
from his pocket, "let me know something of the reason for this sudden
interest in the great ones of the earth."

Sir George smiled grimly.

"I have the interest which is the interest of my department," he said.
"That is to say I want to know a great deal about abnormal people. We
have had an application from him," he went on, "which is rather unusual.
Apparently he is in fear of his life from some cause or other and wants
to know if he can have a private telephone connection between his house
and the central office. We told him that he could always get the nearest
Police Station on the 'phone, but that doesn't satisfy him. He has made
bad friends with some gentleman of his own country who sooner or later,
he thinks, will cut his throat."

T. X. nodded.

"All this I know," he said patiently, "if you will further unfold the
secret dossier, Sir George, I am prepared to be thrilled."

"There is nothing thrilling about it," growled the older man, rising,
"but I remember the Macedonian shooting case in South London and I don't
want a repetition of that sort of thing. If people want to have blood
feuds, let them take them outside the metropolitan area."

"By all means," said T. X., "let them. Personally, I don't care where
they go. But if that is the extent of your information I can supplement
it. He has had extensive alterations made to the house he bought in
Cadogan Square; the room in which he lives is practically a safe."

Sir George raised his eyebrows.

"A safe," he repeated.

T. X. nodded.

"A safe," he said; "its walls are burglar proof, floor and roof are
reinforced concrete, there is one door which in addition to its ordinary
lock is closed by a sort of steel latch which he lets fall when he
retires for the night and which he opens himself personally in the
morning. The window is unreachable, there are no communicating doors,
and altogether the room is planned to stand a siege."

The Chief Commissioner was interested.

"Any more?" he asked.

"Let me think," said T. X., looking up at the ceiling. "Yes, the
interior of his room is plainly furnished, there is a big fireplace,
rather an ornate bed, a steel safe built into the wall and visible from
its outer side to the policeman whose beat is in that neighborhood."

"How do you know all this?" asked the Chief Commissioner.

"Because I've been in the room," said T. X. simply, "having by an
und