"Yes. He's probably the biggest sweep unhung, but I know his mother, and I must have a word with him."
Darwen held out his hand. "May I presume to congratulate you on a good score yesterday?" he said.
"I was lucky," Carstairs answered, ignoring the hand. Whitworth strolled on.
Darwen still smiled. "I can't allow that, my dear chap. You were good, scientific. I ought to have known you were not such a fool as you look."
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it, old chap, honestly I consider you a smart chap; in fact, it begins to seem as if there's not room on this earth for both you and I." He smiled in his happy, genial way, but his eyes were taking in every movement of Carstairs' features.
"Oh, the earth is a big place, we can avoid each other. I'm going to Chilcombe to-morrow, and next day up north again, I expect, but can't say for certain till I get my letters. I shall call to see your mater when I'm that way."
"Yes, do! Of course she need never know of our little scrap, eh?" Darwen's eyes had the same old sparkle in them, and Carstairs with immobile face and calm eyes was watching him as he watched an engine under test.
"No, of course not!"
"By the way one of my old friends in the force told me there was a burglary at some hotel here last night." His eyes flickered with a sunny smile as he watched Carstairs' face.