The Secret Adversary

street. His vigorous strides soon enabled him to gain upon them, and by the time he, in his turn, reached the corner the distance between them w

uld suddenly hail a taxi? In books, you simply leapt into another, promised the driver a sovereign-or its modern equivalent-and there you were. In actual fact, Tommy foresaw that it was extremely likely there would be no second taxi. Therefore he would have to run. What happened in actual fact

flag erect turned the corner of the street ah

o it, proceeding in an easterly direction, Tommy slightly increased his pace. Little by little he gained upon them. On the crowded pavement there was little chance of his attracting their no

and the place was thinning out. Tommy took a seat at the table next to them, sitting directly behind Whittington in case of recognition. On the other hand, he had a full view of the second man and studied him attentively. He was fa

ithdrew, he moved his chair a little closer to the table and began to talk earnestly in a low voice. The other man joined in. Listen as he would, Tommy could only catch a word here and there; but the gi

n the clatter of the room, he got one phrase entire. Whittington was speaking. "Ah, but you don't know Flossie. She's a marvel

nse to it Whittington said something that soun

nsensibly raised their voices, or because Tommy's ears were getting more attuned, he could not tell. But two words

remonstrate with him,

ble-most common. Did he not choose it for that

ing in Whittington's

u may have met

lice. Do you know what I say to myself sometimes? That he is a fable i

t migh

he keeps his secret well. And the idea is a good one, yes. We never know. We look at each other- one of us is

hook off the vagary of his f

ttington. "We m

l. Tommy did likewise, and a few moments lat

d a taxi, and directed the

on's had driven off another was drawing up to t

i," directed the young

t at the departure platform just after Whittington's. Tommy was behind him at the booking-office. He took a first-class single ticket to

n to the announcement board of the trains. The Bournemouth train left at 3.30. It was now ten past. Whittington and Boris were walking up and down by the bookstall. He gave one doubtful look at them, then hurried into an adjacent telephone box. He dared not waste time in trying to get hold of Tuppence. In all probab

ollowed Whittington and another man here. No time to explain. Whitt

y was re

I'll

h of relief. His opinion of Julius's power of hustling was hig

ly. In spite of the carte blanche assured to him, he had not yet acquired the habit of going about with any considerable sum of money on him. The taking

osing Julius did not get there in time. 3.29.... Doors were banging. Tommy

raffic beats description! Put m

n now, that big dark man. The other

. Which of the

ought out th

money w

s head, and Tom

or four hundred dollars with me at

a faint who

the same language! Climb aboard the lugger.

n was just starting as he swung himself aboard. "S

ng along the platform towards him. Tommy allowed

he walked up Shaftesbury Avenue, finally turning off into the maze o

as almost deserted. It was a cul-de-sac, and consequently no traffic passed that way. The stealthy way the other had looked round stimulated Tommy's imagination. From the shelter of the doorway he watched him go up

his man to come out again. What he did do was entirely foreign to the sober common sense which was, as a rule, his leading characteristic. Something, as he expre

ess as before. A villainous-faced man wit

" he g

olly began to come home to Tommy. But he dared not hesit

own?" h

ise the man

his thumb over his shoulder