By the time Eales had given his order to the driver and had settled himself again on the seat of the taxi, the police car had been summoned and the sedate pursuit began anew. This time the course lay southward. The little procession of two skirted Lord’s cricket ground, ran down Regent’s Park Road, crossed the Marylebone Road and went on down Baker Street and across Oxford Street towards the West End. The chase ended just off Piccadilly, at the headquarters of an air line to the Continent. There Frant tapped his man on the shoulder as he was about to climb into a motor-coach bound for Croydon aerodrome, and murmured a few words in his ear which caused him to abandon the idea of flying for that day.

Eales, a little pale but perfectly self-possessed, entered the police car with a shrug of his thin shoulders.

“You have got the warrant. I suppose?” he asked Frant as they started for Bow Street.

Frant read it over to him. The effect was somewhat strange.

“Bigamy!” exclaimed the prisoner. “Oh, my God!” He laughed aloud above the noise of the traffic.

The rest of the journey was accomplished in silence, but in the charge-room at Bow Street Eales spoke once more.

“I suppose that damned little double-crosser Du Pine is responsible for this?” he demanded.

“I am not allowed to tell you through what channels information reaches the police,” answered Frant warily.

“Because if he is, I can tell you a thing or two——”

The sergeant cut him short and at once administered the statutory caution. Eales, a little impressed by the official verbiage, fell silent once more. Frant watched him narrowly.

“I think I am entitled to tell you”, he said in detached tones, “that we are a little interested in a trip abroad you made on the night of the 13th of November. But of course if you prefer to say nothing, you are perfectly entitled——”

The prisoner’s face changed.

“Here, give me a pen and paper!” he snarled.

He began to write, copiously, fluently, pausing only at intervals to swear under his breath.

23
SUCCESS

Wednesday, November 25th