“Had you ever met the Professor before?” I inquired.
“No, never. Of course I knew him well by repute.”
“Did he mention that Edwards and Sutton were old friends of his?”
“I gathered that they were not. He had simply concluded an arrangement with them for working his process as a matter of business. Indeed, he mentioned that Sir Mark Edwards had invited him for a few days.”
“Then they are not friends of long standing?” I asked.
“Probably not. But—well, why do you ask such curious questions as these, Mr—Holford? What, indeed, is the motive of all this inquiry? The Professor is a well-known man, and you could easily approach him yourself,” the keen solicitor remarked.
“Yes, probably so. But my inquiry is in the Professor’s own interest,” I said, because I had to make my story good. “As a matter of fact, I have learnt of an attempt to steal the secret of his process, and I’m acting for his protection. When my inquiries are complete, I shall go to him and place the whole matter before him.”
“Your profession is not that of a detective?” he suggested, with a laugh.
“No; I’m a motor engineer,” I explained bluntly. “I know nothing, and care less, about detectives and their ways.”
Then I apologised for disturbing him at that hour and made my way back in the cab that had brought me to the centre of the city.