Prelude For War

'Yus.'

'Who's Charlie?'

'There ain't no need to shout at me,' said the driver resentfully. 'I can 'ear perfickly well. Charlie 'as the other taxi around 'ere. This 'll be 'im comin' along now.'

A noise like a threshing machine had arisen in the dis­tance. It grew louder. With a clatter like a dozen milk cans being shaken together in an iron box another venerable automobile rolled into the yard, came to a halt with a final explosion like a pistol shot and stood there with its nose steaming.

'Oi,' said the Saint's informant. 'Charlie.'

A very long man peeled himself out of the second cab and came over. He had two large front teeth like a rabbit, and one of his eyes stared at the bridge of his nose.

'Gennelman tryin' to find a lady,' explained the man with the clay pipe.

'A dark pretty girl, about twenty-five, in a light-blue suit,' Simon repeated.

'Hgh,' said the long man. 'I haw her.'

'You saw her?'

'Hgh. Hungh hook her hu Hanghuh.'

'You took her to Anford?' said the Saint, straining for the interpretation.          

'Hgh.'

'Where did you go?'

'Hanghuh.'

'I mean, what part of Anford?'

'Hh Hohungh Hleeh.'

'I'm sorry,' said the Saint, with desperate courtesy. 'I didn't quite catch——'

'Hh Hohungh Hleeh.'      .

'I beg your pardon?'

'Hh Hohungh Hleeh.'

'Oh yes. You mean——'

'Hh Hohungh Hleeh,' said the long man, with some asperity.

Simon felt the sweat coming out on the palms of his hands.

'Can you tell me where that is?'

'Hingh Hanghuh.'

Simon looked imploringly at his first friend.

'You carn't miss it,' said the man through his curtain of white whisker. 'Straight through the market place, an' it's on yer left.'

Simon clapped a hand to his head.

'Good God,' he said. 'You mean the Golden Fleece?'

'Haingh hagh hogh I heengh hehhigh hu?' demanded the long man scornfully.