He leaned over the desk and addressed Mattock in a confidential undertone. "Listen here," he said. "Joan's in the Triangle--you know that, don't you? And you're fond of a Joan. So am I. A nice kid. It's only circumstances make a crook of her. I'd hate to see her follow the rest of the Triangle into stir, and she will, in time, if one of you hasn't a pull somewhere. You're independent now, but I guess there's a day coming when you'll be glad of a friend or two on the Embankment.". Mattock studied his finger-nails. "When we sink as low as that," he said carefully, "I'll let you know." Inspector Teal straightened himself and shrugged. He walked over to the door of the inner office and called one of his men, and together they returned to the clerk. "Arrest that man," said Teal, and Mattock rose to his feet with a charming smile. "The charge?" he asked pleasantly. "Burglary and assault at the house of Oscar Raegenssen on the fourteenth instant. Accessory before and after the fact in the burglary committed in this office last night. Suspected of concealing knowledge of the whereabouts of Oscar Raegenssen, who is wanted on a warrant issued last night. I warn you that anything you say may be taken down and used as evidence against you." Mattock bowed. "Thanks for being so lucid. But you've got the last part of it wrong, you know. The correct formula is, _used as evidence at your trial_." "As evidence at your trial," Teal corrected himself testily. "Take him away." "One moment." Mattock stopped him. "The third charge falls to the ground, naturally. You've only asked me about Raegenssen's past movements--not about his present whereabouts." "That'll keep," said Teal viciously. "Try it on the jury." He was feeling rather fed up with Mattock's imperturbable assurance. They took Mattock to Headquarters, and the formal charge was made. The same mocking tolerance permeated the man's demeanour when the usual questions were asked. "Name?" "James Norman Mattock." "Age?" "Fifty-seven years, eight months, one week, four days"--he looked at his watch--"eleven hours and about forty minutes." "Address?" "I decline to answer that question." His tone encouraged no insistence on the inquiry, and they let it go at that. They were taking him to his cell when he called Inspector Teal. "I suppose I'll have to stop behind bars for a bit to satisfy your vanity," he said, "but I don't want it to be too long. So you might get hold of Captain Arden when you have the chance, and ask him if he'll see me." "I'll find out how his temper is this morning," Teal promised him, and Mattock passed on with a courteous word of thanks. In Storm's room, however, the detective found something else to occupy his mind, and it temporarily eclipsed his concern as to the fate of James Norman Mattock.