Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/231

 two or three hours, safe! I've spotted 'em!"

"You mean"—began Wedgwood.

"Him—and the housekeeper," answered Stainsby. "Both! They're off to New York on the Mauretania. Sails at four o'clock."

Wedgwood glanced at the clock. It was a little after half-past one. He turned Stainsby towards the refreshment room.

"If you're sure they're safe," he said, "come and have a mouthful and a drink—I've had nothing since breakfast. Now," he went on, when they had got into a quiet corner, "tell me while we eat. First, though—I saw you in a taxi yesterday afternoon, near Westminster Bridge. Were you after—them?"

"Her!" answered Stainsby. "Only her! I'll tell you about it. Yesterday afternoon, Gregson said he had to go out to his place in Whitechapel. That would be about two o'clock. He left me in the warehouse, and the housekeeper, of course, was upstairs. About four o'clock when I was at the front of the warehouse talking to a customer, a telegraph boy came up to the side door. I don't know whether she'd been on the look-out for a wire coming—I think she must have been—but anyhow, she'd the door open the instant he knocked and took the wire from him. I heard her say there was no answer, and he went off. A few minutes