What was at the back of his visit to us that night I cannot even now imagine.

Neither is it clear why he held aloof from me, who am his superior in practically the same service.

There we are, from the commencement, confronted with a very singular happening, but scarcely so singular as the denouement.

Wolff vanished from your house that night into an English fortress." "It seems incredible," Dominey declared bluntly.
"It is nevertheless true," Seaman insisted.

"No member of our service is allowed to remain more than one month without communicating his existence and whereabouts to headquarters.