"She is, Sir Gregory—thanks entirely to the extraordinary rapidity of Mr. Richard Bellamy's intuition and action," said Finucane, speaking with unruffled respect, which yet did not hide, nor was intended to hide, a note of reproof. "Without him the Department would have been too late for the show. As it is, we are acting effectively—on information supplied by Mr. Bellamy."
Now Dick stood in no awe of potentates, and he liked his superintendent.
"It was my luck to be on the spot," he said. "There's nothing more in it."
"Pardon me if I differ from you, Mr. Bellamy," said Sir Gregory. "There is this more in it: if the police had been given your opportunities they would not have limited their action to the rescue of this unfortunate young lady, but would have devoted themselves also to the recovery of what is, for the country—I might almost say for the world—of vastly greater importance. You are possibly aware that a sample of a new drug of great potentiality for good and ill was the object of the outrage which led to the abduction."
The great man's beard and the great man's manner annoyed Dick Bellamy, stimulating him even through his shroud of somnolence.
He rubbed his eyes and yawned; then looked up at Sir Gregory.
"I don't know who you are, my good man," he said, "nor why you come barging into this. What more d'you want? Your Napoleon of crime is in the oubliette, two of his dastard accomplices are in clink at Todsmoor, three more are being tracked to their doom in Bayswater, two are dead——"
Here Dick produced from inner pockets a small white packet and an envelope.
"And these," he concluded, "are the dope and the book-o'-the-words."
Both Finucane and Sir Gregory started forward as if to take possession, but Dick drew back.