He disappeared from view, and Westerham, crossing the street, hid in the doorway of the jeweller's at the corner. Craning his neck, he could see Patmore hurrying towards Amen Court.
Then Westerham took a big risk. He dashed up Paternoster Row and turned up to the left. He ran straight ahead until he reached Cheapside and saw that Lowther's car was in waiting. It was a big car with a limousine body, and Westerham, plunging in, pulled down the window at Lowther's back and spoke rapidly to him. “Go on for twenty yards,” he said, “then turn, and just crawl down the street.”
Westerham had run as he had never run before, and was slightly out of breath; he knew he must have beaten Patmore by a good many yards, and as there was no car in sight he thought he might have to follow him when he marched into Newgate Street.
But just as he had calculated he would, Patmore came hastily into the main thoroughfare and glanced up and down. He gave one quick look at the motor as it moved slowly westward. Lowther, to excuse the slowness of his pace, was seemingly having great trouble with a clutch.
A motor-omnibus rattled past them, and on this Patmore climbed.
This complicated matters considerably. It would have been comparatively a simple matter to follow a motor-car, but to hang behind a motor-omnibus in such a way that they could, without being noticed themselves, see if Patmore left it, was a more difficult piece of work altogether.
Their anxiety was considerably lessened when the motor-car drew up at the further end of Holborn viaduct. They saw Patmore leave it and jump into a waiting taxicab.
The taxicab shot straight ahead up Holborn, and from the fact that Patmore had not troubled to look about him Westerham judged that he was not anticipating pursuit.
The taxicab, which they kept well in view, ran quickly through Oxford Circus and on to Orchard Street; there it turned north, and they followed it as closely as they dared past Baker Street to St. John's Wood Chapel.
As it shot ahead up the Finchley Road, Westerham wondered whether Patmore was making for Mme. Estelle's. He decided, however, that this could scarcely be, as he had taken the precaution of having the house closely watched throughout the day, and up to the time he left Downing Street there had been no report as to the return of any of its wonted inmates.