He looked towards Devlin.
"A friend," I said, waving my hand as a kind of introduction, "who may be of assistance to us."
"But introduce us plainly," expostulated Devlin.
"Mr. Devlin," I said, "Mr. Richard Carton."
They shook hands, and then Carton inquired whether I had anything to tell him.
"Nothing tangible," I replied, "but we are on the road."
"Yes," repeated Devlin, "we are on the road."
"Excuse me for asking," said Carton to Devlin, "but are you a detective?"
"In a spiritual way," said Devlin.
Carton's mind was too deeply occupied with the one supreme subject of the murder to ask for an explanation of this enigmatical reply. He turned towards me.