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conscious of a certain feeling of anticlimax. Clearly any scheme for cross-

questioning the lady was out of the question for the moment. For the time being

they were baffled, and could do nothing.

Tuppence related how Mrs. Vandemeyer had declared herself willing to disclose

the identity of Mr. Brown, and how she had consented to discover and reveal to

them the whereabouts of Jane Finn. Julius was congratulatory.

That's all right, Miss Tuppence. Splendid! I guess that hundred thousand

pounds will look just as good in the morning to the lady as it did over night.

There's nothing to worry over. She won't speak without the cash anyway, you

bet!"

There was certainly a good deal of common sense in this, and Tuppence felt a

little comforted.

What you say is true," said Sir James meditatively. "I must confess, however,

that I cannot help wishing we had not interrupted at the minute we did. Still, it

cannot be helped, it is only a matter of waiting until the morning."

He looked across at the inert figure on the bed. Mrs. Vandemeyer lay perfectly

passive with closed eyes. He shook his head.

Well," said Tuppence, with an attempt at cheerfulness, "we must wait until the

morning, that's all. But I don't think we ought to leave the flat."

What about leaving that bright boy of yours on guard?"

Albert? And suppose she came round again and hooked it. Albert couldn't stop

her."

I guess she won't want to make tracks away from the dollars."

She might. She seemed very frightened of 'Mr. Brown.'"

What? Real plumb scared of him?"

Yes. She looked round and said even walls had ears."

Maybe she meant a dictaphone," said Julius with interest.

Miss Tuppence is right," said Sir James quietly. "We must not leave the flat--if

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The Secret Adversary