“Clever! She couldn’t get it away in time. And the camera, with half-a-dozen of its specially sensitized films already snapped over the last few pages, by her side!”
“That child!”
“Yes. She is twenty-seven and has kicked hats off tall men’s heads in every capital from Petersburg to Buenos Aires! Get through to Scotland Yard and ask if Inspector Beedel can come up.”
The manager breathed heavily through his nose.
“To call in the police and publish everything would ruin this establishment—confidence would be gone. I cannot do it without further authority.”
“Then the professor certainly will.”
“Before you came I rang up the only director who is at present in town and gave him the facts as they then stood. Possibly he has arrived by this. If you will accompany me to the boardroom we will see.”
They went up to the floor above, Mr Carlyle joining them on the way.
“Excuse me a moment,” said the manager.
Parkinson, who had been having an improving conversation with the hall porter on the subject of land values, approached.