Detective Addelsee, an eminent member of a highly specialised calling, was a long way from being a fool. He was growing a bit annoyed with himself for his lack of diplomacy. In spite of the girl’s insolence there was something about her that he respected. And, what was just as important, he respected human nature.
He decided to remove the bad impression he had made. “Got in wrong in New York, hey? Over here, ain’t you, to try and change the luck?” His voice was honey now. Its only reward was grim silence.
“Know folks this side?”
The girl looked at Detective Addelsee as if he were dirt. She curled her lip and shook a scornful head.
“Then you better watch your step. London crawls with slick ducks. All sorts, all nations. Up to every game. A bad place, London.”
“If it’s worsen New York, it must be,” conceded Miss Durrance.
“Capital of a free country. Every kind of cag-handed dago lies around loose in London. No place for a lone girl. What’s the stuff you goin’ to pull?”
“That’s my affair.”
Detective Addelsee smiled. He had caught a tartar. But he secretly liked the way she gave it him back. Sand always appealed to him.
“Well, I wish you the best, Miss Durrance.” The voice was official, yet kindness came uppermost. “We’ve nothing against you in New York; but we might have had. You got in with a crooked push. Sorry to have to run you in, but findin’ you on the premises and callin’ yourself the old Haunt’s secretary—she done two goes of time already—how was we to know you were on the level?”