The Saint vs Scotland Yard (The Holy Terror)

'I don't believe you!' stormed the irate lady. 'You're a common thief, that's what you are! I should know that trunk anywhere. I can describe everything that's in it——'

'I'll bet you can't,' said the Saint.

The lady appealed to the assembled spectators.

'This is unbearable!' she raved. 'It's the most barefaced imposture I ever heard of! This man has stolen my clothes and put his own labels on the trunk——'

'Madam,' said the Saint, 'I've never disputed that the trunk, as a trunk, was yours. The labels refer to the destination of the contents. As a strictly law-abiding citizen——'

'Where,' demanded the pimply female hysterically, 'is the Captain?'

And at that point Teal shouldered himself into the front rank of the crowd.

Just for a second he stood looking at the Saint, and Simon saw that there were shadows under his eyes and the faintest trace of flabbiness about his cheeks. But the eyes themselves were hard and expressionless, and the lips below them were pressed up into a dour line.

'I thought I should find you here,' he said.

The last of the Lovedews whirled round.

'Do you know this man?'

'Yes,' said Teal rigidly. 'I know him.'

The Saint crossed his legs and took out a cigarette-case. He indicated the detective with a wave of his hand.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' he murmured, 'allow me to introduce the deus ex machina, or whizzbang out of the works. This is Mr. Claud Eustace Teal, who is going to tell us about his wanderings in Northern Euthanasia. Mr. Teal, Miss Lovedew. Miss Lovedew ——'

'Teal?' The infuriated lady leapt back as though she had been stung. 'Are you Teal?'

'That is my name,' said the slightly startled detective.

'You stand there and admit that to me?'

'Yes—of course.'

The woman reeled back into the arms of one of the bystand­ers.

'Has everyone gone mad?' she wailed. 'I'm being robbed in broad daylight! That is this man's accomplice—he hasn't de­nied it! Can nobody do anything to stop them?'

Teal blinked.

'I'm a police officer,' he said.

'You're a liar!' screamed the woman.

'My good lady ——'

'Don't you dare speak to me like that! You're a low, mean, impertinent thief——'

'But——'

'I want my trunk. I'm going to have my trunk! How can I go to New York without my trunk? That is my own trunk——'

'But, Claud,' said the Saint earnestly, 'have you seen the trunk of the butler of her uncle? That is a trunk of the most colossal.'

Miss Lovedew gazed wildly about her.

'Will no one help me?' she moaned.

Simon removed the cigarette from his mouth and stood up. He placed one foot on the trunk, rested his right forearm on his knee, and raised a hand for silence.

'May I be allowed to explain?' he said.

The woman clutched her forehead.

'Is anyone going to listen to this—this—this——'

'Gentleman?' suggested the Saint, tentatively.

Teal stepped forward and took a grip of his belt.