Mallinson on reaching home unlocked a little oak cabinet which hung against the wall beside his writing-table, and searched amongst a litter of newspaper cuttings and incomplete manuscripts.

He unearthed at last a copy of the _Meteor_, bought between the Grand Hotel and Beaufort Gardens on the night of Drake's dinner, and, drawing up a chair to the fire, he read through the interview again.

The something to be known was gradually, he felt, shaping into a definite form; it had acquired locality this very evening, as he was assured by the recollection of a certain repressed movement upon Mr.Le Mesurier's part at the mention of Boruwimi.

Could he add to the knowledge by the help of the interview?
Mr.
Le Mesurier had not known of its publication until to-night, and so clearly had not read it; his knowledge was antedated.

But on the other hand it was immediately after the perusal of the article that Clarice had sent through him her invitation to Drake.
Mallinson studied the article line by line, but without result.
He tossed the newspaper back into the cupboard, changed his coat, and sat down to his writing-table with a feverish impulse to work.