"But that's ridiculous! There were only two people concerned in the show that really put the finger on Sir Francis Trelawney. The chief commissioner was one, and I was the other. I told Templar the story myself. If you're suggesting that one of us was taking graft from Waldstein—"
"I'm suggesting nothing," said Teal. "I'm just telling you the tale we're up against."
Cullis frowned.
"It's a tale that's making more trouble for us than we've had for years — there was another leading article in the Record this evening," he said sourly. "Something has got to be done about it, or the chief will be wanting resignations all round. If there's anything at all on Trelawney's side, there'll be a clue to it in the Record's Office somewhere — if we can only find it."
Teal nodded.
"It would help us if we could," he said. "She'll be going after this accomplice in the Yard itself next, and if we knew whom she was going to pick on, we'd be ready for her. I wouldn't be worrying so much if the Saint wasn't in it, but when I see his trademark anywhere I know there's going to be no bluff about the trouble. I wouldn't put it above him to kidnap the chief commissioner single-handed and flood out Records with back numbers of the Vie Parisienne."
"He'd have to be a clever man to do it," said Cullis, who had no sense of humour.
"The Saint is a clever man."
Cullis grunted.
"I'll go through that Trelawney dossier again myself," he said.