HamelmetKinsleyshortlybeforeoneo’clockthefollowingafternoon，intheloungeoftheRoyalHotelatNorwich。
“Yougotmywire，then？“thelatterasked，asheheldouthishand。
“IhaditsentbyspecialmessengerfromWells。“
“Itarriveddirectlyafterbreakfast，“Hamelreplied。“Itwasn’ttheeasiestmattertogethere，eventhen，forthereareonlyabouttwotrainsaday，andIdidn’twanttoborrowacarfromMr。
Fentolin。“
“Quiteright，“Kinsleyagreed。“Iwantedyoutocomeabsolutelyonyourown。Let’sgetintothecoffee-roomandhavesomelunchnow。
Iwanttocatchtheafternoontrainhacktotown。“
“Doyoumeantosaythatyou’vecomeallthewaydownheretotalktomeforhalfanhourorso？“Hameldemanded，astheytooktheirplacesatatable。
“Allthewayfromtown，“Kinsleyassented，“anduptotheeyesinworkweare，too。Dick，whatdoyouthinkofMilesFentolin？“
“HangedifIknow！“Hamelanswered，withasigh。
“Nothingdefinitetotellus，then？“Nothing！“
“WhataboutMr。JohnP。Dunster？“
“Heleftyesterdaymorning，“Hamelsaid。“Isawhimgo。Helookedveryshaky。IunderstoodthatMr。FentolinsenthimtoYarmouth。“
“DidMr。Fentolinknowthattherewasanenquiryonfootaboutthisman’sdisappearance？“Kinsleyasked。
“Certainly。IheardLordSaxthorpetellhimthatthepolicehadreceivedorderstoscourthecountryforhim，andthattheywerecomingtoSt。David’sHall。“
Kinsley，foramoment，wassingularlyandeloquentlyprofane。
“That’swhyMr。Fentolinlethimgo，then。IfSaxthorpehadonlyheldhistongue，orifthoseinfernalpolicehadn’tgotchatteringwiththemagistrates，wemighthavemadeacoup。Asitis，thegame’sup。Mr。DunsterleftforYarmouth，yousay，yesterdaymorning？“
“Isawhimgomyself。Helookedveryshakyandill，buthewasabletosmokeabigcigarandwalkdown-stairsleaningonthedoctor’sarm。“
“Idon’tdoubt，“Kinsleyremarked，“butthatyousawwhatyousayyousaw。Atthesametime，youmaybesurprisedtohearthatMr。
Dunsterhasdisappearedagain。“
“Disappearedagain？“Hamelmuttered。
“Itlooksverymuch，“Kinsleycontinued，“asthoughyourfriendMilesFentolinhasbeenplayingwithhimlikeacatwithamouse。
Hehasbeenobligedtoturnhimoutofonehiding-place，andhehassimplytransferredhimtoanother。“
Hamellookeddoubtful。
“Mr。Dunsterleftquitealoneinthecar，“hesaid。“Hewasonhisguardtoo，forMr。Fentolinandhehadhadwords。1reallycan’tseehowitwaspossibleforhimtohavegotintoanymoretrouble。“
“Whereishe，then？“Kinsleydemanded。“Come，Iwillletyoualittlefurtherintoourconfidence。Wehavereasontobelievethathecarrieswithhimawrittenmessagewhichispracticallytheonlychancewehaveofavoidingdisasterduringthenextfewdays。ThatwrittenmessageisaddressedtothedelegatesatTheHague，whoarenowsitting。NothinghadbeenheardofDunsterorthedocumenthecarries。NowordhascomefromhimofanysortsinceheleftSt。
David’sHall。“
“Haveyoutriedtotracehimfromthere？“Hamelasked。
“Tracehim？“Kinsleyrepeated。“Byheavens，youdon’tseemtounderstand，Dick，theimmense，theextraordinaryimportanceofthismantous！ThecleverestdetectiveinEnglandspentyesterdayunderyournoseatSt。David’sHall。Thereareadozenothersworkinguponthejobashardastheycan。Allthereportsconfirmwhatyousay-thatDunsterleftSt。David’sHallathalf-pastnineyesterdaymorning，andhecertainlyarrivedinYarmouthatalittlebeforetwelve。Fromthereheseems，however，tohavecompletelydisappeared。ThecarwentbacktoSt。David’sHallempty；themanonlystayedlongenoughinYarmouth，infact，tohavehisdinner。
Wecannotfindasinglesmackownerwhowasapproachedinanywayforthehireofaboat。Yarmouthhasbeenransackedinvain。HecertainlyhasnotarrivedatTheHagueorweshouldhaveheardnewsatonce。Asalastresource，Irandownheretoseeyouonthechanceofyourhavingpickedupanyinformation。“
Hamelshookhishead。
“YouseemtoknowagooddealmorethanIdo，already，“hesaid。
“WhatdoyouthinkofMr。Fentolin？Youhavestayedinhishouse。
Youhavehadanopportunityofstudyinghim。“
“Sofarasmyimpressionsgo，“Hamelreplied，“everythingwhichyouhavesuggestedmightverywellbetrue。Ithinkthateitheroutofsheerloveofmischief，orfromsomesubtlermotive，heiscapableofanything。Everyoneintheplace，exceptonepoorwoman，seemstolookuponhimasasortofsupernaturalbeing。Hegivesmoneyawaytoworthlesspeoplewithbothhands。YetIshareyouropinionofhim。Ibelievethatheisacreaturewithoutconscienceormorals。
Ihavesatathistableandshiveredwhenhehassmiled。“
“AreyoustayingatSt。David’sHallnow？“
“Ileftyesterday。“
“Whereareyounow，then？“
“IamatSt。David’sTower-thelittleplaceItoldyouofthatbelongedtomyfather-butIdon’tknowwhetherIshallbeabletostopthere。Mr。Fentolin，forsomereasonorother，verymuchresentedmyleavingtheHallandwasveryannoyedatmyinsistinguponclaimingtheTower。WhenIwentdowntothevillagetogetsomeonetocomeupandlookafterme，therewasn’tawomantherewhowouldcome。Itdidn’tmatterwhatIoffered，theywereallthesame。Theyallmutteredsomeexcuseorother，andseemedonlyanxioustoshowmeout。Atthevillageshoptheyseemedtohatetoservemewithanything。ItwasallIcoulddotogetapacketoftobaccoyesterdayafternoon。YouwouldreallythinkthatIwasthemostunpopularpersonwhoeverlived，anditcanonlybebecauseofMr。Fentolin’sinfluence。“
“Mr。Fentolinevidentlydoesn’tliketohaveyouinthelocality，“
Kinsleyremarkedthoughtfully。
“HewasallrightsolongasIwasatSt。David’sHall，“Hamelobserved。
“What’sthislittleplacelike-St。David’sTower，youcallit？“
Kinsleyasked。
“Justalittlestonebuildingactuallyonthebeach，“Hamelexplained。“ThereisalargeshedwhichMr。Fentolinkeepslockedup，andthehabitableportionconsistsjustofabedroomandsitting-room。FromwhatIcansee，Mr。Fentolinhasbeenmakingasortofhobbyoftheplace。Thereistelephoniccommunicationwiththehouse，andheseemstohaveusedthesitting-roomasasortofstudio。Hepaintsseapicturesandreallypaintsthemerywell。“
Amancameintothecoffee-room，madesomeenquiryofthewaiterandwentoutagain。Hamelstaredathiminapuzzledmanner。Forthemomenthecouldonlyrememberthatthefacewasfamiliar。Thenhesuddenlygaveventtoalittleexclamation。
“AnyonewouldthinkthatIhadbeenfollowed，“heremarked。“ThemanwhohasjustlookedintotheroomisoneofMr。Fentolin’sparasitesorbodyguards，orwhateveryoucallthem。“
“Youprobablyhave，“Kinsleyagreed。“Whatpostdoesheholdinthehousehold？“
“Ihavenoidea，“Hamelreplied。“IsawhimthefirstdayIarrivedandnotsince。Sortofsecretary，Ishouldthink。“
“Heisaqueer-lookingfellow，anyway，“Kinsleymuttered。“Lookout，Dick。Herehecomesbackagain。“
Mr。Ryanapproachedthetablealittlediffidently。
“Ihopeyouwillforgivetheliberty，sir，“hesaidtoHamel。“Yourememberme，Itrust-Mr。Ryan。IamthelibrarianatSt。David’sHall。“
Hamelnodded。
“IthoughtI’dseenyouthere。“
“Iwaswondering，“themancontinued，“whetheryouhadacarofMr。
Fentolin’sinNorwichto-day，andifso，whetherImightbegaseatbackincaseyouwerereturningbeforethefiveo’clocktrain？I
cameinearlythismorningtogothroughsomemanuscriptsatasecond-handbookseller’shere，andIhaveunfortunatelymissedthetrainback。“
Hamelshookhishead。
“Icameinbytrainmyself，orIwouldhavegivenyoualiftback，withpleasure，“hesaid。
Mr。Ryanexpressedhisthanksbrieflyandlefttheroom。Kinsleywatchedhimfromoverthetopofanewspaper。
“SothatisoneofMr。Fentolin’screatures，too，“heremarked。
“KeepinghiseyeonyouinNorwich，eh？Tellme，Dick，by-the-by，howdoyougetonwiththerestofMr。Fentolin’shousehold，andexactlyofwhomdoesitconsist？“
“Thereishissister-in-law，“Hamelreplied，“Mrs。SeymourFentolin。