The Saint Meets His Match (She was a Lady)

We can thank your Angels of Doom for that. If you hadn't made the police so unpopular, Teal would have risked the search without a warrant. As it is, we've got a few minutes' grace, which may run into two hours. Pardon me.'

He went through into the bedroom and selected a coat from his wardrobe. He returned with this, and a pillow from the bed.

'Keep over on that side of the room.'

She obeyed, perplexedly. He pushed an armchair over against the window, put the pillow inside the coat he had brought, and sat coat and pillow in the chair.

'Now—where's your hat?'

He found the hat, and propped it up over the coat on a walking stick. Then he carried over a small table and set it beside the chair; and on the table he put a small lamp. After a calculating survey, he switched on the small lamp.

'Now turn out that switch beside you.'

She did as she was told; and the only light left in the room came from the small lamp on the table by the arm­chair against the window.

'The Shadow on the Blind,' said the Saint. 'A Mystery in Three Acts. Act One.'

She looked at him.

'And Act Two—the fire escape?'

He shook his head.

'No. We haven't got one of those. Why not the front door? Are you ready?'

He handed her her bag, went out into the hall, and fetched in her valise. This he opened for her.

'Put on another hat,' he said. 'You must look or­dinary.'

She nodded. In a couple of minutes she was ready; and they walked down the stairs together. At the foot of the stairs he stopped.

'Round there,' he said, pointing, 'you'll find a flight of steps to the basement. Wait just out of sight. When you hear me go up the stairs again, walk straight out of the front door and take a taxi to the Ritz. Stay there as Mrs. Joseph M. Halliday, of Boston. Mr. Joseph M. Halliday—myself—will arrive for breakfast at ten o'clock to­morrow morning.'

'And Act Three?' she asked.         

'That,' said the Saint serenely, 'will be nothing but a brief brisk dialogue between Teal and me. Good-night, Jill.'

He held out his hand. She took it.

'Simon, you're not only a darling—you're a bright boy.'

'Just what Teal said,' murmured the Saint. 'Sleep well, Jill—and don't worry.'

He left her there, and went and opened the front door.

The constable outside turned round alertly.

'Officer!' said the Saint anxiously.

He looked amazingly respectable; and the policeman relaxed.

'Yes, sir?'

'There seems to be something funny going on in the fiat below me——'

The constable came up the steps.