face, warm colour in her cheeks, and a
smile on her lips and in her eyes. She spoke no word, made no sound;
merely stood there and smiled and, somehow, he seemed to know what the
smile of her meant and what the bird's note said.

"Miss Lorne--Ailsa," he said, very, very gently, "if some day ... when
all the wrongs I did in those other days are righted, and all that a man
can do on this earth to atone for such a past as mine has been done ...
if then, in that time, I come to you and ask for that reward, do you
think, oh, do you think that you can find it in your heart to give it?"

"When that day dawns, come and see," she said, "if you wish to wait so
long!"

EPILOGUE

THE AFFAIR OF THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN CALLED HAMILTON CLEEK

"Note for you, sir--messenger just fetched it. Addressed to 'Captain
Burbage,' so it'll be from The Yard," said Dollops, coming into the room
with a doughnut in one hand and a square envelope in the other.

Cleek, who had been sitting at his writing-table, with a litter of
folded documents, bits of antique jewellery, and what looked like odds
and ends of faded ribbon lying before him, swept the whole collection
into the table drawer as Dollops spoke and stretched forth his hand for
the letter.

It was one of Narkom's characteristic communications, albeit somewhat
shorter than those communications usually were--a fact which told Cleek
at once that the matter was one of immense importance.

"My dear Cleek," it ran. "For the love of goodness don't let anything
tempt you into going out to-night. I shall call about ten. Foreign
government affair--reward simply enormous. Look out for me. Yours, in
hot haste--MAVERICK NARKOM."

"Be on the lookout for the red limousine," said Cleek, glancing over at
Dollops, who stood waiting for orders. "It will be along about ten.
That's all. You may go."

"Right you are, Gov'nor. I'll keep my eyes peeled, sir. Lor'! I do hope
it's summink to do with a restaurant or a cookshop this time. I could do
with a job of that sort--my word, yes! I'm fair famishin'. And, beggin'
pardon, but you don't look none too healthy yourself this evening,
Gov'nor. Ain't et summink wot's disagreed with you, have you, sir?"

"I? What nonsense! I'm as fit as a fiddle. What could make you think
otherwise?"

"Oh, I dunno, sir--only--Well, if you don't mind my sayin' of it, sir,
whenever you gets to unlocking of that draw and lookin' at them things
you keep in there--wotever