l Brett found awaiting him a letter delivered by the midday
post. It was from his elderly assistant in London, whom he had told to
make a close scrutiny of all inhabited houses within a certain radius of
the Carlton Hotel. The man had done his work systematically, and in only
three instances was he called on to report doubtful cases.

Two foreign restaurants in side streets contained a number of residents
concerning whom it was difficult to obtain specific information.

One of these establishments he believed to be the resort of Continental
gamblers driven from Soho by the too marked attentions of the police.
The other was a place of even more questionable repute, and in both
instances he had utterly failed to obtain the slightest information from
the servants, who apparently "stood in" with the management.

The third dwelling which courted observation was a flat situated above
some business premises in another quiet street. So far as he could
learn, it was tenanted by an elderly lady who was a helpless invalid,
waited on by a somewhat curious couple.

"They are Italians, I think," wrote the ex-policeman, "and very
uncommunicative people. I have twice called, on one pretext or another,
but when the door is opened it is always kept on the chain, and I
cannot see more than the face of a man or woman and a few inches of wall
beyond. Still, I have no reason to doubt that the view taken by the
milkman and baker is correct, namely, that the owner of the flat is
confined to her bed and is suffering from a nervous disease, which
renders it imperative she should be shut off from all noise. The
landlord informs me that these people have occupied the place for nearly
two months. Their rent is paid in advance, and they have not given the
slightest cause for complaint. There are, of course, in this district a
large number of private hotels and lodging-houses, but they seem to be
run on regular lines, and, although some of their patrons might well
demand closer observation, I have come across nothing suggestive of any
suspicious circumstance whatever with reference to them. I have detained
my report until I was able to give details concerning the other houses
in the district, and I will now fall back on the second part of your
instructions, i.e., to maintain a close watch on the three
establishments which I have picked out as being more unusual in their
habits than the others."

This was all.

Brett read the concluding portion