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Oh, a bruise and a cut or two; really, from a medical point of view, absurdly

slight injuries to have produced such a condition. Her state is probably to be

attributed to the mental shock consequent on recovering her memory."

It's come back?" cried Julius excitedly.

Sir James tapped the table rather impatiently.

"Undoubtedly, Mr. Hersheimmer, since she was able to give her real name. I

thought you had appreciated that point."

"And you just happened to be on the spot," said Tommy. "Seems quite like a fairy

tale."

But Sir James was far too wary to be drawn.

Coincidences are curious things," he said dryly.

Nevertheless Tommy was now certain of what he had before only suspected. Sir

James's presence in Manchester was not accidental. Far from abandoning the

case, as Julius supposed, he had by some means of his own successfully run the

missing girl to earth. The only thing that puzzled Tommy was the reason for all

this secrecy. He concluded that it was a foible of the legal mind.

Julius was speaking.

"After dinner," he announced, "I shall go right away and see Jane."

That will be impossible, I fear," said Sir James. "It is very unlikely they would

allow her to see visitors at this time of night. I should suggest to-morrow morning

about ten o'clock."

Julius flushed. There was something in Sir James which always stirred him to

antagonism. It was a conflict of two masterful personalities.

"All the same, I reckon I'll go round there to-night and see if I can't ginger them

up to break through their silly rules."

"It will be quite useless, Mr. Hersheimmer."

The words came out like the crack of a pistol, and Tommy looked up with a start.

Julius was nervous and excited. The hand with which he raised his glass to his

179

The Secret Adversary