Clue of the Twisted Candle

at 11 o'clock one night, and hishea

ceman on point duty at the end of the street, who saw him,recognized

his office, and found Mans

but tomorrow you and I will take alittle journey to Devonshire. It will be good for you, Mansu

is the dawn of an int

offens

inside hiswaistcoat a long blue envelope contain

r-stroke of yours, Mansus," hesaid,

e was almost equal to promotion. It wason the advice of Mansus that the road from London to

y thefact that Vassalaro's name was engraved on the butt. It wasrather an ornate affair and in its earlier days had be

e threatening letterwhich he had found amongst Vassalaro's belongings, and which hadevidently been taken down

umber of sheets of which T. X. hadignited for the information of the Chief Commissioner and

pungentand most disagreeable smoke, for which he was heartily

ked at h

s too late to see M

hour would be too lat

and chaperon me,"

to theknocker brought any response. The hall porter of the flats whereshe lived was under the impression that Mrs. Lexman h

s particular night was

nly thevaguest information on the subject, thought that th

a chaos of incoherent"you-knows" and "what-I-means.""I don't like this," said T. X.,suddenly. "Does anybody know thatwe have made these discoveries?""Nobody outside the office," said Mansus, "unless, unless . . . ""Unless what?" asked the o

in sleep and it was some timebefore the landlord could be aroused. Recognizing T. X. hechecke

an aggrieved tone, "and as a matter of fact I have spoken tonobody exce

. Vassalaro had stayedwith me and he wanted to

of man was he

man gave sent a cold chill

" he said, and swore

Square,"

uspicious eye upon his visitors, rememberingthat his predecessor had lost his job from a too confidingfriendliness with spurious electric fitters.

terly. "Youought to be a fortune teller.""This sett

ut it will get you there bysix or seven in the morning.""Too late," he said, "unless you can invent a method of gettingfrom here to Paddington in about fifty seconds."The morning journey to Devonshi

the valley of the Dart,

, amile above their heads, a white-winged aeroplane, looking nol

cellent way for a man to escape!""I

T. X. a fewminutes later when he was held up by an a

the matter?

has escaped,"

by aeroplane?

."The car came to the gates of the prison and T. X. sprang out,followed by his assistant. He had no

usque in his manner, but againthe ma

men has gotaway. I suppose you know that?""And I am a

military authority. Heproduced his pap

exman, convicted undersentence of fifteen yea

he said, and breathed

d! - that is the