"Very good, sir," the constable replied, and we left him to his vigil.
Then, hailing a passing cab, we jumped into it and directed the driver to convey us to George Street. By this time it was getting on for mid-day, and we were both worn out. But I was in such a nervous state that I could not remain inactive. Phyllis had been in Nikola's hands nearly fourteen hours, and so far we had not obtained one single definite piece of information as to her whereabouts.
Arriving at the shop of Messrs. Goddard & James, we went inside and asked to see the chief partner. An assistant immediately conveyed us to an office at the rear of the building, where we found an elderly gentleman writing at a desk. He looked up as we entered, and then, seeing the Inspector's uniform, rose and asked our business.
"The day before yesterday," began my companion, "you supplied a gentleman with a number of South-Sea weapons and curios on hire, did you not?"
"I remember doing so—yes," was the old gentleman's answer. "What about it?"
"Only I should be glad if you would favour me with a description of the person who called upon you about them—or a glimpse of his letter, if he wrote."
"He called and saw me personally."
"Ah! That is good. Now would you be so kind as to describe him?"
"Well, in the first place, he was very tall and rather handsome; he had, if I remember rightly, a long brown moustache, and was decidedly well dressed."
"That doesn't tell us very much, does it? Was he alone?"