"Ask anything you like, sir," he said; "I'll give you any help I can."
Already there was a ring almost of patronage in his voice. The word "help" was slightly emphasised.
"This inspector, who is he exactly? I mean, is he an important person?"
"He is the man who has charge of all the big things. He goes abroad when one of the big city men bunk to South America. He generally works straight from the Home Office; he's the Government man. To tell the truth, I was surprised to meet him in the Horsecloth. One of the others generally goes there. When he began to talk, I knew that there was something important, more than usual."
"He definitely said that he knew your—backers?"
"Yes, he did; and what's more, gentlemen, he seemed to know too much altogether about the business. I don't pretend to understand it. I don't know why a young parson and a press reporter are being looked after by Government as if they were continental sovereigns and the Anarchists were trying to get at them—no more than I know why two such gentlemen as you are wanting two smaller men put through it. But all's well that ends well. I'm satisfied enough, and I'm extremely glad that I got this notice in time to stop it off. But whatever you do, gentlemen, give up any idea of doing those two any harm. You couldn't do it—couldn't get near them. Give it up, gentlemen. Somehow or other, they know all about it. Be careful. Now I'm off. Good-day, gentlemen. Look after yourselves. I fear there is trouble brewing somewhere, though it won't come through me. They can't prove anything on our side."
He went slowly out of the room, back into the darkness of the pit whence he came, to the dark which mercifully hides such as he from the gaze of dwellers under the heavens.
Only the police of London know all about these men, and their imaginations are not, perhaps, strong enough to let the horror of contact remain with them.
When he had gone, Llwellyn sank heavily into a chair. He covered his face with his hands and moaned.
"Oh, fool that I was to try anything of the sort!" hissed Schuabe. "I might have known!"