“Not long, I think.  We have a very promising start.  If I have any luck, I shall be able to collect all the evidence I want in about a week.  But there is an element of chance in some of it which prevents me from giving a date.  And it is just possible that I may have started on a false track.  But that I shall be able to tell you better in a day or two.”

“And I suppose,” I said gloomily, “I shall be out of the hunt altogether?”

“Not at all,” he replied.  “You have got the Blackmore case to attend to.  I shall hand you over all the documents and get you to make an orderly digest of the evidence.  You will then have all the facts and can work out the case for yourself.  Also I shall ask you to help Polton in some little operations which are designed to throw light into dark places and which you will find both entertaining and instructive.”

“Supposing Mrs. Hornby should propose to call and take tea with us in the gardens?” I suggested.

“And bring Miss Gibson with her?” Thorndyke added dryly.  “No, Jervis, it would never do.  You must make that quite clear to her.  It is more probable than not that Mrs. Schallibaum made a careful note of the house in Endsley Gardens, and as that would be the one place actually known to her, she and Weiss—­if he is in England—­would almost certainly keep a watch on it.  If they should succeed in connecting that house with these chambers, a few inquiries would show them the exact state of the case.  No; we must keep them in the dark if we possibly can.  We have shown too much of our hand already.  It is hard on you, but it cannot be helped.”

“Oh, don’t think I am complaining,” I exclaimed.  “If it is a matter of business, I am as keen as you are.  I thought at first that you were merely considering the safety of my vile body.  When shall I start on my job?”

“To-morrow morning.  I shall give you my notes on the Blackmore case and the copies of the will and the depositions, from which you had better draw up a digest of the evidence with remarks as to the conclusions that it suggests.  Then there are our gleanings from New Inn to be looked over and considered; and with regard to this case, we have the fragments of a pair of spectacles which had better be put together into a rather more intelligible form in case we have to produce them in evidence.  That will keep you occupied for a day or two, together with some work appertaining to other cases.  And now let us dismiss professional topics.  You have not dined and neither have I, but I dare say Polton has made arrangements for some sort of meal.  We will go down and see.”

We descended to the lower floor, where Thorndyke’s anticipations were justified by a neatly laid table to which Polton was giving the finishing touches.

Chapter XI

The Blackmore Case Reviewed