---

　　Sir Ronald Graves drew a cat upon his blotting pad.He looked at the large portly figure of Chief-Inspector Davy sitting opposite him and drewa bulldog.

　　"Ladislaus Malinowski?" he said. "Could be. Got any evidence?"

　　"No. he‘d fit thebill, would he?"

　　"A daredevil. No nerves. Won the WorldChampionship. Bad crash about a year ago. Bad reputation with women. Sources of incomedoubtful. Spends money here and abroad freely. Always going to and fro to the Continent.Have you got some idea that he’s the man behind these bigorganised robberies and hold-ups?"

　　"I don‘t think he’s the planner. But I think he‘s in with them."

　　"Why?"

　　"For one thing, he runs a Mercedes-Otto car.Racing model. A car answering to that description was seen near Bedhampton on the morningof the mail robbery. Different number plates – but we’re used to that. And it‘s the same stunt –unlike, but not too unlike. FAN 2299 instead of 2266. There aren’t so many Mercedes-Otto models of that type about. Lady Sedgwick has one andyoung Lord Merrivale."

　　"You don‘t thinkMalinowski runs the show?"

　　"No – I think thereare better brains than his at the top. But he’s in it. I‘ve looked back over the files. Take the hold-up at the Midland and WestLondon. Three vans happened – just happened – to block a certain street. A Mercedes-Otto that was on the scene got clearaway owing to that block."

　　"It was stopped later."

　　"Yes. And given a clean bill of health. Especiallyas the people who’d reported it weren‘t sure of the correct number. It was reported as FAM 3366 – Malinowski’s registration number is FAN 2266 –It‘s all the same picture."

　　"And you persist in tying it up with Bertram’sHotel. They dug up some stuff about Bertram‘s for you –”

　　Father tapped his pocket.

　　"Got it here. Properly registered company. Balance– paid up capital – directors –etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Doesn’t meana thing! These financial shows are all the same – just a lotof snakes swallowing each other! Companies, and holding companies – makes your brain reel!"

　　"Come now, Father. That‘s just a way they have in the City. Has to do with taxation –”

　　"What I want is the real dope. If you’ll give me a chit, sir, I‘d like to go and seesome top brass."

　　The A.C. stared at him.

　　"And what exactly do you mean by top brass?"

　　Father mentioned a name.

　　The A.C. looked upset. "Idon’t know about that. I hardly think we dare approach him."

　　"It might be very helpful."

　　There was a pause. The two men looked at each other.Father looked bovine, placid, and patient. The A.C. gave in.

　　"You‘re a stubborn olddevil, Fred," he said. "Have ityour own way. Go and worry the top brains behind the international financiers of Europe."

　　"He’ll know,"said Chief-Inspector Davy. "He‘ll know. And if he doesn’t, he can find out bypressing one buzzer on his desk or making one telephone call."

　　"I don‘t know that he’ll be pleased."

　　"Probably not," saidFather, "but it won‘t take much ofhis time. I’ve got to have authority behind me, though."

　　"You‘re really seriousabout this place, Bertram’s, aren‘tyou? But what have you got to go on? It’s well run, has a goodrespectable clientele – no trouble with the licensing laws."

　　"I know – I know. Nodrinks, no drugs, no gambling, no accommodation for criminals. All pure as the drivensnow. No beatniks, no thugs, no juvenile delinquents. Just sober Victorian-Edwardian oldladies, county families, visiting travellers from Boston and the more respectable parts ofthe U.S.A. All the same, a respectable Canon of the church is seen to leave it at 3 a.m.in the morning in a somewhat surreptitious manner –”

　　"Who saw that?"

　　"An old lady."

　　"How did she manage to see him. Why wasn‘t she in bed and asleep?"

　　"Old ladies are like that, sir."

　　"You’re not talking of– what‘s his name – Canon Pennyfather?"

　　"That’s right, sir.His disappearance was reported and Campbell has been looking into it."

　　"Indeed? In what way, sir?"

"Another old lady – ormiddle-aged anyway. When the train was stopped by that signal that had been tampered with,a good many people woke up and looked out into the corridor. This woman, who lives inChadminster and knows Canon Pennyfather by sight, says she saw him entering the train byone of the doors. She thought he‘d got out to see what waswrong and was getting in again. We were going to follow it up because of his disappearancebeing reported –”