"Having failed in both his attempts to get me out of the way, his next move will be to leave England with as little delay as possible," I said to myself. "If only I knew in what part of London he was staying, I'd ransack it for him, if I had to visit every house in order to do so. As it is, he has a thousand different ways of escape, and unless luck favours me, I shall be unable to prevent him from taking his departure."
At that moment there was a tap at the door and my clerk entered the room.
"Mr. Kitwater and Mr. Codd to see you, sir."
"Show them in," I said, and a moment later the blind man and his companion were ushered into my presence.
Codd must have divined from the expression upon my face that I was not pleased to see them.
"You must forgive me for troubling you again so soon," said Kitwater, as he dropped into the chair I had placed for him, "but you can understand that we are really anxious about the affair. Your letter tells us that you discovered that Hayle was in London a short time since, and that he had realized upon some of the stones. Is it not possible for you to discover some trace of his whereabouts?"
"I have not been able to do that yet," I answered. "It will be of interest to you, however, to know that he called upon me here in this room, and occupied the chair you are now sitting in, three days ago."
Kitwater clutched the arm of the chair in question and his face went as white as his beard.
"In this room three days ago, and sitting in your presence," he cried. "Then you know where he is, and can take us to him?"
"I regret that such a thing is out of my power," I answered. "The man came into and left this room without being hindered by me."