The Saint Meets His Match (She was a Lady)

'The chief commissioner has not been in all day.'

Teal raised his eyebrows. He happened to know that the chief commissioner had had a particular piece of work to do that day and also a number of appointments; and he knew that his chief's habits were as regular as clockwork.

'Has he sent any message?'           

'No, sir. We've heard nothing of him since he left yesterday evening.'    

That was less like the chief commissioner than any­thing, to disappear without a word to anyone; and Teal was a rather puzzled man as he made his way to his little office overlooking the Embankment.

He worked there until ten o'clock; for in spite of the air of massive boredom which he was never without, he was, as a matter of fact, absorbed in his profession, and regular office hours meant nothing to him when he was on a case. In this he was totally different from his imme­diate superior, Mr. Cullis, who always grudged giving one minute more of his time than the state purchased with his salary.

He prepared to leave at last, however, and as he emerged into the corridor a hurrying constable collided with him violently.

A buff envelope was knocked out of the man's hand by the impact, and Teal good-humouredly stooped to pick it up. As he did so he noticed the address.

'Hasn't Mr. Cullis gone home?' he inquired.

'No, sir. He's still in his room.'

'Can you wait half a minute?'

Without waiting for a reply Teal went back into his office, taking the telegram with him. Under the constable's goggling eyes Teal carefully sponged the back of the envelope and eased up the flap with his paper knife. Then he extracted the form and read the message.

He actually stopped maltreating a well-worn pellet of spearmint as he read.

Then, with ponderous deliberation, he refolded the form and replaced it in the envelope, freshened up the gum on the flap from a pot of paste on his desk, and dried his handiwork carefully before the gas fire.

 

He returned the telegram to the messenger.

'Now you can take that on to Mr. Cullis,' he said. 'But you needn't mention my name.'

'No, sir.'

The vestige of a smile twitched at Teal's mouth as the constable departed. It was perhaps fortunate for him that the messenger owed a recent promotion entirely to Teal's good offices, and might therefore be safely count­ed upon to obey his somewhat eccentric injunction.

The messenger had closed the door behind him; but as his footsteps died away along the corridor, Teal rose silently and opened the door again. Turning out the light he waited close by the switch, listening patiently.

He heard the constable return and go down the stairs, and five minutes later he heard a different footfall com­ing towards him.

Cullis's office was at the far end of the same corridor, and Teal stepped silently out of his darkened doorway as the assistant commissioner reached it.

'Heavens, you gave me a start!' said Cullis peevishly. 'I wish you wouldn't creep about in those rubber soles.'