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 Square—Palace Mansions, an’ St. Andrew’s Mansions.”

“Well?”

“St. Andrew’s Mansions,” continued Hamper, “is all away!”

“All away?”

“All away! I know, ’cause I used to have a reg’lar fare there. ’E’s in Egyp’; flat shut up. Top floor’s to let. Bottom floor’s two old unmarried maiden ladies what always travels by ’bus. So does all their blarsted friends an’ relations. Where can old Tom Brian ’ave been comin’ from, if it wasn’t Palace Mansions?”

“H’m!” said Dunbar, “you are a loss to the detective service, my lad! And how do you account for the fact that Brian has not got to hear of the inquiry?”

Hamper bent to Dunbar and whispered, beerily, in his ear: “P’r’aps ’e don’t want to ’ear, guv’nor!”

“Oh! Why not?”

“Well, ’e knows there’s something up there!”

“Therefore it’s his plain duty to assist the police.”

“Same as what I does?” cried Hamper, raising his eyebrows. “Course it is! but ’ow d’you know ’e ain’t been got at?”

“Our friend, here, evidently has one up against Mr. Tom Brian!” muttered Dunbar aside to Sowerby.