She listened attentively to the story of my loss. When I had finished—
"You'd little enough to go on, I must say. I'd never have dared to say that man had stolen it."
"It was a bow at a venture," I admitted. "But it seems to have come off. All the same, I don't want to charge the chap. He deserves six months, if only for his cigar, but I'd rather somebody else sent him down."
"I expect they'll make you. After all, it was a pretty smart capture, and the police'll be fed to the teeth if you don't go through with it."
"Considering it was stolen in London, I didn't see any sense in telling the police at Flail, but the station-master apparently knew his job."
With a temporarily disengaged hand Miss Doiran caressed Nobby, who was seated between us.
"I've always wanted a Sealyham," she sighed.
"You could have had one for nothing at three o'clock this morning."
"Did he have you up?"
I nodded.