"And you think?"

"It may possibly influence Creake to act sooner than he otherwise
might have done. He may have got possession of the principal even and
find it very awkward to replace it."

"So much the better. If your sister is going to be murdered it may as
well be done next week as next year so far as I am concerned. Excuse
my brutality, Mr. Hollyer, but this is simply a case to me and I
regard it strategically. Now Mr. Carlyle's organization can look after
Mrs. Creake for a few weeks, but it cannot look after her for ever. By
increasing the immediate risk we diminish the permanent risk."

"I see," agreed Hollyer. "I'm awfully uneasy but I'm entirely in your
hands."

"Then we will give Mr. Creake every inducement and every opportunity
to get to work. Where are you staying now?"

"Just now with some friends at St. Albans."

"That is too far." The inscrutable eyes retained their tranquil depth
but a new quality of quickening interest in the voice made Mr. Carlyle
forget the weight and burden of his ruffled dignity. "Give me a few
minutes, please. The cigarettes are behind you, Mr. Hollyer." The
blind man walked to the window and seemed to look out over the
cypress-shaded lawn. The lieutenant lit a cigarette and Mr. Carlyle
picked up Punch. Then Carrados turned round again.

"You are prepared to put your own arrangements aside?" he demanded of