atthedoorsaysallserene,'Sorrytoconfuseyouraccounts,butit'llayforthewindow.''Whatwindow?'Isays.'TheoneI'mgoingtobreak,'hesays,andsmashedthatblessedanewithhisumbrella.

"

Allthreeinquirersmadeanexclamation;andtheinsectorsaidunderhisbreath,

"Areweafterescaedlunatics?

"Thewaiterwentonwithsomerelishfortheridiculousstory:

"Iwassoknockedsillyforasecond,Icouldn'tdoanything.Themanmarchedoutofthelaceandjoinedhisfriendjustroundthecorner.ThentheywentsoquickuBullockStreetthatIcouldn'tcatchthem,thoughIranroundthebarstodoit.

"

"BullockStreet,

"saidthedetective,andshotuthatthoroughfareasquicklyasthestrangecouleheursued.

Theirjourneynowtookthemthroughbarebrickwaysliketunnels;streetswithfewlightsandevenwithfewwindows;streetsthatseemedbuiltoutoftheblankbacksofeverythingandeverywhere.Duskwasdeeening,anditwasnoteasyevenfortheLondonolicementoguessinwhatexactdirectiontheyweretreading.Theinsector,however,wasrettycertainthattheywouldeventuallystrikesomeartofHamsteadHeath.Abrutlyonebulginggas-litwindowbrokethebluetwilightlikeabull's-eyelantern;andValentinstoedaninstantbeforealittlegarishsweetstuffsho.Afteraninstant'shesitationhewentin;hestoodamidthegaudycoloursoftheconfectionerywithentiregravityandboughtthirteenchocolatecigarswithacertaincare.Hewasclearlyrearinganoening;buthedidnotneedone.

Anangular,elderlyyoungwomanintheshohadregardedhiselegantaearancewithamerelyautomaticinquiry;butwhenshesawthedoorbehindhimblockedwiththeblueuniformoftheinsector,hereyesseemedtowakeu.

"Oh,

"shesaid,

"ifyou'vecomeaboutforthatarcel,I'vesentitoffalready.

"

"Parcel?

"reeatedValentin;anditwashisturntolookinquiring.

"Imeanthearcelthe'gentlemanleft-theclergymangentleman.

"

"Forgoodness'sake,

"said'Valentin,leaningforwardwithhisfirstrealconfessionofeagerness,

"forHeaven'ssaketelluswhathaenedexactly.

"

"Well,

"saidthewomanalittledoubtfully,

"theclergymencameinabouthalfanhouragoandboughtsomeeermintsandtalkedabit,andthenwentofftowardstheHeath.Butasecondafter,oneofthemrunsbackintotheshoandsays,'HaveIleftaarcel!'Well,Ilookedeverywhereandcouldn'tseeone;sohesays,'Nevermind;butifitshouldturnu,leaseostittothisaddress,'andheleftmetheaddressandashillingformytrouble.Andsureenough,thoughIthoughtI'dlookedeverywhere,Ifoundhe'dleftabrownaerarcel,soIostedittothelacehesaid.Ican'tremembertheaddressnow;itwassomewhereinWestminster.Butasthethingseemedsoimortant,Ithoughterhastheolicehadcomeaboutit.

"

"Sotheyhave,

"saidValentinshortly.

"IsHamsteadHeathnearhere?

"

"Straightonforfifteenminutes,

"saidthewoman,

"andyou'llcomerightoutontheoen.

"

Valentinsrangoutoftheshoandbegantorun.Theotherdetectivesfollowedhimatareluctanttrot.

Thestreettheythreadedwassonarrowandshutinbyshadowsthatwhentheycameoutunexectedlyintothevoidcommonandvastskytheywerestartledtofindtheeveningstillsolightandclear.Aerfectdomeofeacock-greensankintogoldamidt...

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