“Is that you, sergeant?” said a voice from the darkness, as Gurden made his way upstairs to the unlighted hall above.
Colonel Black turned on the light.
He held out a long muscular hand in welcome to the police officer. “I am so glad you have come,” he said.
The sergeant took the hand and shook it warmly.
“I have come to apologize to you. Colonel Black,” he said. “I have severely reprimanded Police-Constable Fellowe.”
Black waved his hand deprecatingly.
“I do not wish to get any member of your admirable force into trouble,” he said, “but really this man’s prying into my business is inexcusable and humiliating.”
The sergeant nodded. “I can well understand your annoyance, sir,” he said, “but you will understand that these young constables are always a little overzealous, and when a man is that way he is inclined to overdo it a little.”
He spoke almost pleadingly in his desire to remove any bad impression that might exist in Black’s mind as to his own part in Police-Constable Fellowe’s investigations.
Black favoured him with a gracious bow.
“Please do not think of it, I beg of you,” he said. “I am perfectly sure that the young constable did not intend willingly to hurt my amour-propre.”
He led the way to a spacious dining-room situated at the back of the house. Whisky and cigars were on the table. “Help yourself, sergeant,” said Colonel Black. He pushed a big comfortable chair forward.
With a murmured word of thanks, the sergeant sank into its luxurious depths.
“I am due back at the station in half an hour,” he said, “if you will excuse me then.”
Black nodded.
“We shall be able to do our business in that time,” he said, “but before we go any further, let me thank you for what you have already done.”
From the inside pocket of his coat he took a flat pocketbook, opened it and extracted two banknotes. He laid them on the table at the sergeant’s elbow. The sergeant protested feebly, but his eyes twinkled at the sight of the crinkling paper.
“I don’t think I have done anything to deserve this,” he muttered.
Colonel Black smiled, and his big cigar tilted happily.
“I pay well for little services, sergeant,” he said. “I have many enemies—men who will misrepresent my motives—and it is essential that I should be forewarned.”
He strode up and down the apartment thoughtfully, his hands thrust into his trousers pockets.
“It is a hard country, England,” he said, “for men who have had the misfortune to dabble in finance.”
Sergeant Gurden murmured sympathetically.
“In our business, sergeant,” the aggrieved colonel went on, “it frequently happens that disappointed people—people who have not made the profits which they anticipated—bring extraordinary accusations against those responsible for the conduct of those concerns in which their money is invested. I had a letter today”—he shrugged his shoulders—“accusing me—me!—of running a bucket-shop.”
The sergeant nodded; he could well understand that aspect of speculation.
“And one has friends,” Black went on, striding up and down the apartment, “one has people one wants to protect against similar annoyances—take my friend Dr. Essley—Essley, E double s l e y,” he spelt the name carefully; “you have heard of him?”
The sergeant had not heard of any such body, but was willing to admit that he had.
“There is a man,” said the colonel, “a man absolutely at the head of his profession—I shouldn’t be surprised to learn that even he is no safer from the voice of slander.”
The sergeant thought it very likely, and murmured to the effect.
“There is always a possibility that malignity will attach itself to the famous,” the colonel continued, “and because I know that you would be one of the first to hear such slander, and that you would moreover afford me an opportunity—a private opportunity—of combating such slander, that I feel such security. God bless you, sergeant!” He patted the other’s shoulder, and Gurden was genuinely affected.
“I can quite understand your position, sir,” he said, “and you may be sure that when it is possible to render you any assistance I shall be most happy and proud to render it.”
Again Colonel Black favoured his visitor with a little pat.
“Or to Dr. Essley,” he said; “remember the name. Now, sergeant,” he went on, “I sent for you tonight,”—he shrugged his shoulders—“when I say sent for you, that, of course, is an exaggeration. How can a humble citizen like myself command the services of an officer of the police?”
Sergeant Gurden fingered his moustache self-consciously.
“It is rather,” the colonel went on, “that I take advantage of your inestimable friendship to seek your advice.”
He stopped in his walk, drew a chair opposite to where the sergeant was sitting, and seated himself.
“Constable Fellowe, the man of whom I have complained, had the good fortune to render a service to the daughter of Mr. Theodore Sandford—I see you know the gentleman.”
The sergeant nodded; he had heard of Mr. Theodore Sandford, as who had not? For Theodore Sandford was a millionaire ironmaster who had built a veritable palace at Hampstead, had purchased the Dennington “Velasquez,” and had presented it to the nation.
“Your constable,” continued Colonel Black, “sprang upon a motorcar Miss Sandford was driving down a steep hill, the brakes of which had gone wrong, and at some risk to himself guided the car through the traffic when, not to put too fine a point on it, Miss Sandford had lost her head.”
“Oh, it was him, was it?” said the sergeant disparagingly.
“It was him,” agreed the colonel out of sheer politeness. “Now these young people have met unknown to the father of Miss Sandford, and—well, you understand.”
The sergeant did not understand, but said nothing.
“I do not suggest,” said the colonel, “that there is anything wrong—but a policeman, sergeant, not even an officer like yourself—a policeman!”
Deplorable! said the sergeant’s head, eyes and hands.
“For some extraordinary reason which I cannot fathom,” the colonel proceeded, “Mr. Sandford tolerates the visits of this young man; that, I fear, is a matter which we cannot go into, but
