The circumstance striking him as somewhat unusual, he descends to the street and finds--well, rather more than he expected.

He finds the cabman asleep, and his fare scientifically and effectually throttled by a piece of silken cord." Wrayson turned to the waiter and ordered a liqueur brandy.
"Have one, you fellows ?" he asked.

"Good! Four, waiter." He tossed his own off directly it arrived.

His lips were pale, and the hand which raised the glass to his lips shook.

Heneage alone, who was watching him through a little cloud of tobacco smoke, noticed this.
"Have you finished with me, Colonel ?" Wrayson asked.
"Practically," the Colonel answered, smiling, "unless you can answer one of the three queries suggested by my _resume_.