After a hot bath, during which he had twiddled his toes in the wavering steam and tried to mesmerize himself into that habitually comfortable frame of mind of a detective officer who has got his man, Grant repaired to the Yard and went to interview his chief. When he came into the great man's presence Barker was complimentary.
"Congratulations, Grant!" he said. "That was very smart work altogether." And he asked for details of the capture which Grant had not, of course, included in his official report, and Grant provided him with a vivid sketch of the three days at Carninnish. The superintendent was highly amused.
"Well done!" he said. "Rather you than me. Careering across bogs was never a sport of mine. It seems you were the right man in the right place this time, Grant."
"Yes," said Grant unenthusiastically.
"You don't let your emotions run away with you, do you?" said Barker, grinning at his unsmiling face.
"Well, it's been luck, mostly, and I made one bad break."
"What was that?"
"I found out that Sorrell had really intended to go to America — at least, that he had booked a berth — and I forgot that his belongings would be lying at a terminus waiting to be examined."
"That doesn't sound a very vital mistake to me. You knew who the man was and who his friends were. What more could you find out that would help you to Lamont?"
"Nothing about Lamont. It was because I was so hard on Lamont's trail that I forgot about the luggage. But I want to know more about Sorrell. To tell you the truth," he added in a sudden burst, "I'm not very happy about this case."