the main entrance wearing no hat
and carrying a few letters for the post. There might be a cab waiting
at the pillar box--to be exact there is, I ordered one."

"That's the idea," cried Almont. "Sweet and simple."

"That cab would dodge about the streets a while and eventually make its
way to Wimbledon. At Wimbledon it would deposit Barraclough at Number
14a, Medina Road. He would enter the house and change into running
shorts and a vest having appointed himself underneath with rather a
large pneumatic stomach. Also he would wear a beard and a perfectly
bald head. This done he would emerge from the house and start running
in the middle of the road in whatever direction he likes with a man on
a push bicycle pedalling behind him.

"But I can't see----" Cassis began.

"Precisely," said Mr. Torrington, "and nor could anyone else. Nobody
sees the extraordinary individuals who run at night, they only laugh at
them."

"If you ask me," said Cassis, drumming his fingers on the mantelpiece,
"I am of opinion that we are merely losing time with all this talk and
the sooner we get Barraclough away the better."

Mr. Torrington's eyes looked him coldly up and down.

"You should know me well enough, Cassis, to realise that when I lose
time I lose it purposely. I am waiting for Cranbourne."

"Cranbourne's ideas are altogether too fantastic."

"We agreed to do nothing until eleven o'clock and it wants ten minutes
to the hour."

"Not a very substantial margin to find Barraclough's double."

"It is as easy to find a man in ten minutes as in ten years--a mere
matter of chance. For my own part I always favoured indifferent odds."

"By Jove, sir," exclaimed Barraclough, "you're my man. Damn the
opposition. Damn the odds. We'll do it, what."

A measure of his enthusiasm infected the old man.

"We'll have a damn good try anyway."

"And if it comes to a rough and tumble----"

"Hit first and hit hardest."

An electric bell swizzed.

"He's there."

"Failed," grunted Cassis.

But Mr. Torrington's eyes were on the clock.

"Since he is five minutes ahead of time I imagine he has succeeded."

Doran came in.

"Mr. Cranbourne, sir."

"Alone?" Cassis rapped out the question like a pistol shot, but before
there was time to answer Cranbourne burst into the room, his face aglow
with excitement.

"I've done it," he said. "It's all right--terrific."

Lord Almont sprang to his feet.

"You don't mean?"

"Yes,