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."You said Moyna wasn't far away--""I don't think she is.I'll tell you why.As I came up the hill, I had to stopfor a moment to switch over to the reserve petrol tank.While I was out of thecar I heard someone speaking over an improvised telephone beside the road.Hesaid: 'Hallin's just come by.' Then he said: 'I'll leave him to you.I'll bewaiting for Templar--""Templar?""That's what he said.""But he must have known you were there.""He must have thought I couldn't hear.It was a pure fluke that I could.Imoved a couple of steps, and I couldn't hear a sound.Some trick of echoes, Iexpect.However, I followed the sound, keeping in the line it seemed to movein, and I almost fell over the man.He fired at me once, and missed; and thenI got hold of him.He-went over the cliff.You remember-it's very steepthere.""You killed him?""Of course I did," said Hallin shortly, "unless he can fall two hundred feetwithout hurting himself.It was him or me- and he was armed.I got back intothe car and drove on.Farther up the road a man stepped out and tried to stopme, but I drove right at him.He fired after me twice, but he didn't do anydamage.And that's all."Perry's fists clenched."By heaven, if that man really was waiting for Templar--""Why shouldn't he have been? Remember all that's happened.We don't know whatTemplar's game is, but we know his record.""But he was pardoned a long time ago.""That doesn't make him straight.A man like that--"Page 118ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlPerry swung round.He caught at Hallin's arm."For God's sake, Miles-we've got to do something."Hallin stood up."That's why I came to fetch you," he said."But what can we do?""Get back to that telephone-find where the line leads"Could you find the place again?""I marked it down.""But those men who fired at you----""We can go another way.I know all the roads around here backwards.Are yougame?"Perry set his teeth."You bet I am.But-if you'd got a gun or something--"Hallin looked at him for a moment.Then he went to the desk, unlocked adrawer, and took out two automatics.One he gave to Perry, the other heslipped into his own pocket."That's a good idea," he said."Now are you ready?""Yes-come on!"It was Perry who led the way out of the cottage, and he had already startedthe car when Hallin climbed in behind the wheel.They moved off with a roar, and Perry leaned over and yelled in Hallin's ear."They'll hear us coming!"Hallin nodded, and kicked the cut-out over.The roar was silenced."You're right," he said.They tore down the hill for a quarter of a mile, and skidded deliriously rounda right-angle turn; then they went bucketing down a steep and narrow lane,with the big car brushing the hedge on either side."This is the only way to get round them," Hallin said.The huge headlights made the lane as light as it would have been at noon; evenso, it was a nightmare path to follow at that pace.But Hallin was a perfectdriver.Presently the lane seemed to come to a dead end; Hallin braked, andput the wheel over; and they broadsided into a clear road."It's close here," Hallin said.The car slackened speed; after a few moments they almost crawled, while Hallinsearched the side of the road.And then he jammed on the brakes, switching offthe engine and the lights as he did so.Page 119ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"This is the place."He met Perry in the road and led off at once.For a few yards they went overgrass; then they threaded a way between rocks and low stunted bushes.On hisright, Perry heard a distant murmur of water.Then Hallin stopped him."It was just here."Perry heard the scrape of a match; and then he saw.They stood beside a slight bump of ground; and there was a shallow cavity inthe side of it, which seemed to have been worn away under a flat ledge ofstone.And in the cavity was a telephone.The light went out."I've got an idea," Hallin said."What is it?""Suppose you took the place of the man I heard at the telephone-spoke to themen at the other end-told them some story? I'll follow the wire.I don't thinkthe other end is far away.Give me ten minutes, and then start.You coulddistract their attention-it'd give me a chance to take them by surprise.""But I want to get near the swine myself!""You shall.But to start with-- Look here, you know you aren't used tostalking.I could get up to them twice as quietly as you could."Perry hesitated; and then Hallin heard him groping down into the hollow."All right." The youngster's voice came up from the dark ness."Hurry along,Miles, and shout as soon as you can.""I will.Just ten minutes, Nigel.""Right-ho!"Hallin moved away.He did not follow any wire.He knew just where he was going.In ten minutes he was squatting beside a heavily insulated switch.Beside hima trellised metal tower reached up towards the stairs.It was one of many thathad not long since sprung up all over England, carrying long electric cablesacross the country and bringing light and power to every comer of the land.That Miles Hallin had left London late was only one of his inventions.He had,as a matter of fact, been in that spot for several hours.He was an expertelectrician- though the job he had had to do was fairly simple.It had beenthe digging that had taken the time.He had an ingenious mind.The Saint would have been sheerly delighted to hearthe story that Nigel Perry had heard."If you must have melodrama, lay it onwith a spade," was one of the Saint's own maxims; and certainly Miles Hallinhad not tyrannized his imagination.There was also a thoroughness about Hallin which it gave the Saint greatPage 120ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlpleasure to recall in after years.Even in murder he was as thorough as he hadbeen in fostering the legend of his charmed life [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]