He followed the clerk down the spiral staircase to the well-lit vault, and with the key which the man handed him opened Safe No. 20. It was divided into two compartments, that on the left consisting of a deep drawer, which he pulled out. It was half filled with American paper currency, as he knew--currency neatly parcelled and carefully packed by his own hands. "I often wonder, Colonel Boundary," said the interested clerk, "why you don't use the bank safe. When a customer has his own, you know, we are not responsible for any of his losses." "I know that," said the colonel genially. "Still one must take a risk." He placed the package on the top of the money, pushed back the drawer, locked the safe and handed the key to the young man. "I think the bank takes enough risks without asking them to accept any more," he said, "and besides, I like to take a little risk myself sometimes." "So I've heard," said the clerk innocently, and the colonel shot a questioning look at the young man. CHAPTER XXXI THE VOICE AGAIN He left the bank with the sense of having done his duty by himself. He had not planned the route by which he was leaving the country, or the hour. Much was to happen before he shook the dust of England from his feet, and as he had arranged matters he would have plenty of time to think things over before he made his departure. A great deal happened in the next few days to make him believe that the necessity for getting away was not very urgent. He met Stafford King in the Park one morning, and Stafford had been unusually communicative and friendly. Then the whispering voices in the flat had temporarily ceased, and Jack o' Judgment had given him no sign of his existence. It was five days after he had made his deposit in the bank that the first shock came to him. He found Snakit waiting on returning from a matinée, and the little detective was so important and mysterious that the colonel knew something had been discovered. "Well," he asked, closing the door, "what have you found?" "She is in communication with the police," said Snakit, "that's what I've found." "Lollie?" "Miss Marsh is the lady. In communication with the police," said the other impressively. "Now just tell me what you mean," said the colonel. "Do you mean she's on speaking terms with the policeman on point duty at Piccadilly Circus?" "I mean, sir," said Snakit with dignity, "that she's in the habit of meeting Mr. Stafford King, who is a well-known man at Scotland Yard----" "He's well-known here too," interrupted the colonel. "Where does she meet him?" "In all sorts of queer places--that's the suspicious part of it," said Snakit, who had joyously entered into the work which had been given to him, without realising its unlawful character.