Page:Bailey - Call Mr Fortune (Dutton, 1921).djvu/81

70 stood a veiled woman of full figure. Both he and she carried suit-cases. As the man turned round he bumped into Reggie, who was looking the other way, and seemed to have some difficulty in disentangling himself. He glared at Reggie and hurried away. The woman was ahead of him.

Reggie grabbed Superintendent Bell. "See that pair. Take them both. Picking my pocket. Get the bags."

Bell and Mordan hurried after the pair. Bell tapped the man's shoulder, and he jumped round.

"I thought so. You'll come with me to the station, my man," said Superintendent Bell, with admirable calm.

"What is it?" the man cried. His accent was slightly foreign. "What station? What do you mean?"

"You know all right," said the Superintendent. "I am Superintendent Bell of Scotland Yard."

"I do not know at all," the man protested. "What do you want with me?"

The woman saw Reggie. She hissed something to the man in a foreign argot, and turned to run. The Superintendent laid hold of her. Inspector Mordan closed with the man. The Inspector was large and brawny, but at the end of a moment he was on his back and the man making off. Reggie dived for his legs in the manner of Rugby football, and they went down together.