The Sixth Sense

HAT OUTRUN

time has arri

sign of my pa

icitudes tort

tion deprives

orbed in a sch

rved on the ta

atest, through

crash of a

y fetters, I s

ur and the Wom

the resc

ar your sp

n by me th

future of

hen be left

n and he

ps round Hyd

e Belgrav

revelyan: "The Mo

hat I could render no assistance. At the same time, I felt it would be unfriendly to treat Sylvia's disappearance as part of the trivial round and common task, e

respectively Gartside and Culling paced slowly to a central place of meeting. Every shopkeeper, loafer, postman, and hawker along the route was subjected to searching inquisition: the car, its passenger, and black-bearded driver were described and

its own merits or demerits, and no attacks on property, no menaces to person could shake them from what they regarded as a national duty. Even if I chose to think old Rawnsley's mechanical, cold-blooded inhumanity extended to the members of his own family, it would be i

ilitants miscalculated, I miscalculated with them. I had not expected their policy of abduction to arouse much active sympathy, but the bitter, uncompromising resentment it evoked far surpassed my anticipations. Had the perpetrators been discovered, I believe they would have been lynched in the street; and without goin

en I asked his plans. "The enemy has varied its usual

a typed sh

when the Government will guarantee the introduction of a bill to give w

answering t

all arranged," was the reply, "a

Syl

ill be done. I am offering t

ng the whole

r-press has taken it up until half England knows and the other half suspects. Rawnsley's seeing the Times, and you'll have the whole story in to-morrow's papers. I shall confirm it at Birmingham next week.

ole New Militant campaign has p

of Mavis Rawnsley and th

etely baffled. They're cleve

cl

ourt. We're not even sure wher

picions?" I ve

shrewdly and with a spice of disfavour. "Ca

rticular?" I a

blicly denounced the slightest breach of the law. I acquit the Old Militants, too-the Gregorys and Haseldines and Ganons. They're too stupi

interposed, probably with the dishonest intention of s

the last time she visited Holloway. No, they're cowards. If you want brain and courage you must look to a little grou

he ultra-constitutional New Milita

women and want to save them a long stretch of

n't suppose I'm admit

dvise them a

ough suspicion to carry into cou

st significant, most suspicious, most damning thing about them. If a house-breaker opened a religious bookshop, you might think he had r

claimed as I ran down the steps and tu

was unavailing when set to the task of converting Joyce from her militant campaign. However, I have seen s

we shook hands. "She wouldn't go to bed when the

s than I care to say, but E

. "But she's got a temperature and c

r away?" I excla

hook he

t she simply wo

t's to k

he paper e

king the world will come to an end unles

ould have to edit it," I poin

d it's no use telling peopl

le late in the day,"

ve me the real reason

have to take responsibility

s. Millington setting

retion," said Elsie with a smile. "T

and stick and mov

losing her ner

usual form," was al

a quick recovery. If she isn't well in two days' time, I shal

ened a subscription list to buy me a box of liver pills. The Seraph-after I had been two minutes at Adelphi Terrace-said he

a copy of the suppressed issue of the Times, when the compositors usurped control of Empire and edited one of Harcourt's Budget speeches on lines of their own. There was also a pink Pall Mall Gazette, bought wet from the machine at a shilling the copy, when paper ran out and they borrowed the pink reserve rolls of the G

f Edward the Seventh, and the verbal account of it given by "A Peeress" who had been present. More lately I acquire

of the paper; by the mental pathologist it is regarded as an interesting example of what is by common consent called "Militant Hysteria." The general public will remember it as the documentary evidence which at last enabled the police to sec

there was a great deal of "Where is Miss Rawnsley? Where is Master Jefferson? Where is Miss Roden?" Such questions implicated no one, and only annoyed inconseque

leading article, and contained an unmistakable threat that the polic

rolled round to the Club to

ce when I ran across him in the hall. "Don't ask me where I got it from, an

very uncomfortable se

iscreet to

know. I fancy you proceed against

wasted much t

next morning throughout the country. In London, of course, it could be obtain

f the law stretching out and folding Chester Square in its embrace. I was still wonderin

His broken collar and caved-in hat suggested a fight: his brogue reminded me that the offer of a golden throne in heaven w

h are this world's finest raconteurs as they are its finest fight

ed the place, P

proached me for my inter

ey get

e or am I not?

rition at my command. "But I've got to go

r bitten off him and another scratched in the face till the gutters ran blood. Five strong men held her down and stamped out the life of her, and fi

any one else?"

le ye're spoiling

ell me that

sgust. "Unless ye'd be calling a printer's devil

Then I decided to communicate by telephone. If Joyce had not already been arrested, and if I was to be of

f my story as I looked up the

Exchange told me after

at seemed like half an hour. "Will you

and I was told that there did not

e what we're to do,

es. Then the decision was taken out of our hands. I saw him pri

"It's a woman, and she's coming slowly. No

hair and tiptoed

asked, sinking my o

ered with a shake of the head; and then wit

bell," I cried, runn

t ourselves," he called out as I opened

She was trembling with fever and panting with the exertion of climbing four flights of stairs. A long fur coat stretched down to bare feet thrust int

" I exc

reternaturally bright, and white cheeks

e, gallant attempt at a smile. Then I caught her in my arms as she

s any woman. Then we went to the far side of the room and held a whispered consultation. I am af

ot yet. We want a doctor. Her own man? No! It would give us away at once. Look out Maybury-Reynardson's address in the telephone book, somewhere in Cavendish Square. He's a sportsman; he'll do it if you say it's for me. You must go and see him in person; we don't want the Exchange-

he stairs. The noise was loud enough even fo

he whispered turning out the light and l

faced with the two Roden detectives I h

I said. "Have you been able t

led on other business. There was a warrant out against Miss Davenant. She was not to be found at the Clerkenwell printing office

asked, with all the Engl

ult, as the number of the car seem

fence, isn't

hi Terrace, however, there was only one car in sight, drawn up outside our door and presenting a creditably clear number-plate. Its driver had vaguely seen another car, but

de. I didn't notice the number. How long ago did you see your suspected car turn into Adelphi Terrace? Ten minute

ck and glanced up at the

lat," I explained. "I

sitated un

ny authority

Dining-room, wine-cellar, library.... Won't you come in? Not e

keys and go out of your way to lay bare your secrets before their eyes, they will in all probabilit

. We gave our friends ten minutes' start, and I then set out in search of nurse and doctor. Joyce looked shockingly ill when I left, but her breathing was peaceful. O

first being that a man who starts a career of crime at the age of forty-two must not for very decency be seen eating in company with a judge of the High Court. My meeting did goo

t say "discussing": Nigel was holding forth in a way that made me think he must have been a Grand Inquisitor in some previous incarnation. The ruthlessness of a Torquemada was directed by Nap

, to try the case, and you'll find the woman Millington will exhibit surprising celerity in imparting whateve

'you mean?" asked G

ed by Merivale and saw seven years' penal servitude stretching in pleasing prospect before you, you'd want to start the day on terms of reasonable amity with your judge. If you knew Merivale's daughter was engaged to marry

ed his head thoughtfu

f in one of the coops where the other li

too considerable; she wouldn't want to betray herself a

" asked

e. Of course, the police in their infinite sagacity must needs start

she wanted to,"

d Nigel. "Every sta

ca

The woman's seriousl

ed at his friend a

ut the inside of th

cunious. The woman Davenant's in London, and they'll find her in three days. Where she is, I can't tell you. I may know more when I've seen the officers' report

ught her," said

id Gartside with greater knowledge. "

ette with ostenta

. "For example, when it's seriously ill. I fancy I could mak

sight, kept the speaker at a distance.... However, I had come to the Club to establish an alibi, not to reflect on

I was rather late as it was. You'd got as far as the disposal of Mrs. Millington's body in the common

with affection, his eyes a

and and making his points with the other. "The polis and red coats was there, and the