He stood with his hands raised, and made no movement while Uttershaw circled cautiously around him, came up behind him, and felt over his pockets with unflurried thoroughness.
"You might put down your cigarette," Uttershaw said as he stepped back and circled into view again. "And if it explodes, I assure you I shall not look round."
The Saint smiled as he dabbed at the ashtray.
"So Ricco told you about that one, did he? I imagine he must have been quite pained about being taken in by an old gag like that."
"He did seem to have a grudge against you."
"I'm sure he has a much worse one by now."
"I was wondering about that. How did it happen?"
"I was expecting him. And I'm afraid he loused up the job again. Really, Allen, he did let you down. I bullied and badgered him until he was too bothered to keep two worries bouncing in his head at the same time, and then he dropped a couple of words which were just enough to tell me for sure that you'd be here and what you were planning to do."
Uttershaw smiled and nodded. It was just as though somebody were telling him about a friend of his whose record trout had gotten away because the leader broke.
"I knew I'd been disappointed when you arrived here," he acknowledged. "And I suppose the iridium is still safe in your room."