He explained as he proceeded—
“I’ve wanted Callvet for quite a long time—he’s on the list, so to speak. I lost sight of him a year ago. How Spedding got him is a mystery. If the truth be told, he’s got a nodding acquaintance with half the crooks in London ... had a big criminal practice before he went into the more lucrative side of the law.”
A big crowd had gathered at the corner of the Haymarket, and with one accord they avoided it.
“Curiosity,” Angel prattled on, “has been the undoing of many a poor soul. Keep away from crowds, Jimmy.”
They walked on till they came to Angel’s flat in Jermyn Street.
“Spedding will duplicate and triplicate his schemes for catching us to-night,” said Jimmy.
“He will,” agreed Angel, and opened the door of the house in which his rooms were.
The narrow passageway, in which a light usually burned day and night, was in darkness.
“Oh, no,” said Angel, stepping back into the street, “oh, indeed no!”
During their walk Jimmy had had a suspicion that they had been followed. This suspicion was confirmed when Angel whistled, and two men crossed the road and joined them.