"I don't suppose I shall ever have the chance of putting such a question to her," added Brent. "She's--off!" Hawthwaite looked round. "Um!" he remarked. "Well, it only means another hue-and-cry. She and Mallett of course. There's one thing in our favour. She doesn't know that Krevin Crood knew anything about it." "Are you sure of that?" suggested Brent. "Oh, sure enough!" affirmed Hawthwaite. "She hasn't an idea that anybody knows. So we shall get her!" "What about Krevin Crood--and Simon?" asked Brent. "Adjourned," replied Hawthwaite. "There's no doubt Krevin's told the true story at last, but he and Simon are still in custody and will be until, perhaps, to-morrow. We want to know a bit more yet. But I'll tell you what, Mr. Brent, this morning's work has broken up the old system! The Town Trustees and the ancient regime, as they call it--gone! Smashed, Mr. Brent----" "What are you going to do about this?" interrupted Brent, glancing round the room. "Set the wires to work," answered Hawthwaite half-carelessly. "Unless she and Mallett have laid their plans with extraordinary cleverness, they can't get out of the country. A noticeable pair too! Went out very early this morning, cycling, did she? I must have a talk to the servants. And that companion, now--Mrs. Elstrick--where's she got to? I noticed her in court." "Left, sir, just before Krevin Crood finished," said Hawthwaite's companion. "I saw her slip out." "Ay, well!" observed Hawthwaite. "I don't know that that matters! If any of them can get through the meshes of our net ... Mr. Brent!" "Well?" asked Brent. "We've got at the truth at last about your cousin," continued Hawthwaite, with a significant look. "It's been a case of one thing leading to another. And two things running side by side. If we hadn't cornered Krevin Crood we'd never have had his revelations about the Town Trustees. Talk about your Local Government Board inquiry!--why, five minutes of Krevin's tongue-work did more than half a dozen inquiries. I tell you, sir, the old system's dead--the Crood gang was smashed to pieces in that court this morning! Somehow, it's that that interests me most, Mr. Brent. But--business!" He turned to the plain-clothes man, and nodded towards the door. "Fetch those servants in here," he said. "They've got to know."