Chapter 8

           SergeantDawatfirstmadesomedemur;butfinallyagreedtoadviseprivatelyonamatterwhichmightbesuggestedtohim.HeaddedthatIwastorememberthatheonlyundertooktoadvise;forifactionwererequiredhemighthavetoreferthemattertoheadquarters.WiththisunderstandingIlefthiminthestudy,andbroughtMissTrelawnyandMr.Corbecktohim.NurseKennedyresumedherplaceatthebedsidebeforewelefttheroom.

           Icouldnotbutadmirethecautious,cool-headedprecisionwithwhichthetravellerstatedhiscase.Hedidnotseemtoconcealanything,andyethegavetheleastpossibledescriptionoftheobjectsmissing.Hedidnotenlargeonthemysteryofthecase;heseemedtolookonitasanordinaryhoteltheft.Knowing,asIdid,thathisoneobjectwastorecoverthearticlesbeforetheiridentitycouldbeobliterated,Icouldseetherareintellectualskillwithwhichhegavethenecessarymatterandheldbackallelse,thoughwithoutseemingtodoso."Truly,"thoughtI,"thismanhaslearnedthelessonoftheEasternbazaars;andwithWesternintellecthasimproveduponhismasters!"HequiteconveyedhisideatotheDetective,who,afterthinkingthematteroverforafewmoments,said:

           "Potorscale?thatisthequestion."

           "Whatdoesthatmean?"askedtheother,keenlyalert.

           "AnoldthievesphrasefromBirmingham.Ithoughtthatinthesedaysofslangeveryoneknewthat.