xpect
visitors at this hour of the night."

He went into the house, took a good look round his room, and then
reappeared, taking the key from the pocket of his dressing-gown. It had
been there all the time, if the truth be told, but Mr. Milburgh was a
cautious man and took few risks.

Tarling was accompanied by Inspector Whiteside and another man, whom
Milburgh rightly supposed was a detective. Only Tarling and the Inspector
accepted his invitation to step inside, the third man remaining on guard
at the gate.

Milburgh led the way to his cosy sitting-room.

"I have been in bed some hours, and I'm sorry to have kept you so long."

"Your radiator is still warm," said Tarling quietly, stooping to feel the
little stove.

Mr. Milburgh chuckled.

"Isn't that clever of you to discover that?" he said admiringly. "The
fact is, I was so sleepy when I went to bed, several hours ago, that I
forgot to turn the radiator off, and it was only when I came down to
answer the bell that I discovered I had left it switched on."

Tarling stooped and picked the butt end of a cigar out of the hearth. It
was still alight.

"You've been smoking in your sleep, Mr. Milburgh," he said dryly.

"No, no," said the airy Mr. Milburgh. "I was smoking that when I came
downstairs to let you in. I instinctively put a cigar in my mouth the
moment I wake up in the morning. It is a disgraceful habit, and really is
one of my few vices," he admitted. "I threw it down when I turned out the
radiator."

Tarling smiled.

"Won't you sit down?" said Milburgh, seating himself in the least
comfortable of the chairs. "You see," his smile was apologetic as he
waved his hand to the table, "the work is frightfully heavy now that poor
Mr. Lyne is dead. I am obliged to bring it home, and I can assure you,
Mr. Tarling, that there are some nights when I work till daylight,
getting things ready for the auditor."

"Do you ever take exercise?" asked Tarling innocently. "Little night
walks in the fog for the benefit of your health?"

A puzzled frown gathered on Milburgh's face.

"Exercise, Mr. Tarling?" he said with an air of mystification. "I don't
quite understand you. Naturally I shouldn't walk out on a night like
this. What an extraordinary fog for this time of the year!"

"Do you know Paddington at all?"

"No," said Mr. Milburgh, "except that there is a station there which I
sometimes use. But perhaps you will explain to me the meaning of this
visit?"