“I’m well aware of that. But why are we meeting her?”
“She’ll probably tell you,” was the fellow’s reply, and, at his direction, I turned the car into a narrow side road which ran for miles through woods and coppices until at last, after passing through two small villages, we came to a wayside station dimly lit by oil lamps.
There we waited for about a quarter of an hour, when the slow train from Waterloo ran in, and from a first-class carriage there stepped a tall, well-dressed girl wearing a rich fur coat and small hat. She was evidently expecting the car to meet her, for she walked straight up to it and entered, being greeted by Madame and Houston, who were inside.
I followed the newcomer and got into the driver’s seat, whereupon Madame introduced me.
The moment she opened her lips I knew she was American, and also from her speech and expressions I knew that she was a crook who moved in good society.
“We’ll drive through Merrow and over to Hindhead,” Houston said. “We’d better avoid the High Street of Guildford, for the police might possibly spot the car. So we’ll go by the side roads. I was over there three days ago on a motor-bike, so I’ll pilot you.”
And then he turned to gossip merrily with the good-looking American girl, who seemed most enthusiastic concerning our mysterious adventure.
“To-night ought to bring us a clear twenty thousand pounds,” he said.