"But Simon — I didn't—"
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Teal's eyes lighted with triumph as they swung back to the Saint.
"That's fine," he said exultantly. "And Miss Vascoe doesn't know anything about it. So who else is going to testify that you spent your time waiting there — the man in the moon?"
"No," said the Saint. "Because I didn't go there."
Teal's eyes narrowed with the fog that was starting to creep into his brain.
"Well, what—"
"I was expecting some sort of call like that," said the Saint. "I knew somebody was going to knock off this exhibition — after the bet I'd made with Vascoe, the chance of getting away with it and having me to take the rap was too good to miss. I meant it to look good — that's why I made the bet. But of course, our friend had to be sure I wouldn't have an alibi, and he was pretty cunning about it. He guessed that you'd be having me shadowed, but he knew that a message like he sent me would make me shake my shadow. And then I'd have a fine time trying to prove that I spent an hour or so standing outside the Zoo at that hour of the night. Only I'm pretty cunning myself, when I think about it; so I didn't go. I came here instead."
Teal's mouth opened again.
"You—"