The Saint Meets His Match (She was a Lady)

"Sits very still, doesn't she?" said the Saint vaguely.

They stared longer.

"Funny," said the policeman, "now you come to men­tion it, she does sit still, Ain't never moved 'arf an inch, all this time we've been watching her."

"I don't like the look of it, officer," said the Saint nervously. "If you'd heard that noise——"

"Can't 'ear no noise now."

"I tell you, it gave me the creeps. . . . Did this woman know you were going to arrest her?"

"Oh, I think she knows all right."

"Supposing she's committing suicide——"

The constable continued to strain his neck.

"Sounds as if I ought to look into it," he said. "But I don't care to leave my post. The inspector said I wasn't to move on any account. But if she's trying to escape justice——"

"She still hasn't moved," Simon said.

"No, she ain't moved."

"I don't see how going inside would be leaving your post," said the Saint thoughtfully. "You'd be just as much use as a guard outside the door of the flat as you are here."

"That's true," said the policeman.

He looked at the Saint.

"Come on up with me," he said.

"L-1-l-like a shot," said the Saint timidly, and followed in the burly wake of the law.

They listened outside the door of the flat for some time, and, not unnaturally, heard nothing.

"Perhaps she's dead by now," Simon ventured morbidly.

The law applied a stubby forefinger to the bell. A minute passed.

The law repeated the summons—without result.

The Saint cleared his throat.

"Couldn't we break in?" he said.

The law shook its head.

"Better wait till the inspector gets back. He won't be long."

"Come up and wait in my flat."

"Couldn't do that, sir. I've got to keep an eye on this door."

Simon nodded.

"Well, I'll be off," he sighed. "I'll be upstairs if you want me."

"If anything's happened, I expect the inspector will want to see you, sir. May I have your name?"

"Essenden," said Simon Templar glibly. "Marmaduke Essenden. Your inspector will know the name."

He saw the name written down in the official notebook, and went up the stairs. On the landing above, he waited until he heard the constable tramping downwards, and then he descended again and let himself into his own flat.

He was reading, in his pajamas and a dressing gown, when his bell rang again an hour and a half later; and he opened the door at once.

Teal was outside; and behind Teal was the constable. Seeing Simon, the constable goggled.

"That's the man, sir," he blurted.

"I knew that, you fool," snarled Teal, "as soon as you told me the name he gave you."