"Precisely," Lutchester interrupted. "You want it back again. Why not let Fischer do the business? He has an idea where it's gone. The thing to do seems to me to follow him." "To follow Fischer?" Graham repeated vaguely. "Precisely. If he thinks the formula is in England, Fischer will stay in England. If he thinks that it has gone abroad he will go abroad. If we leave him free we can watch which he does." Graham swallowed half a wineglassful of the brandy by his side. Then he leaned forward. "Look here," he said, "you'll forgive me if I repeat myself and ask you once more--what the hell has all this got to do with you?" "Just this much," Lutchester replied, "that I insist upon your taking the course of action in this matter which I propose." "You mean," Graham protested, working himself gradually into a state of wrath, "that I am to go back to my rooms as though nothing had happened, see Holderness and the others to-morrow, and not have a word of explanation to offer? That I am to leave those blackguards at Henry's to try their dirty games on some one else, and let Fischer, the man who was fully inclined to become my murderer, go away unharmed? I think not, Mr. Lutchester. I am much obliged for your help, but you are talking piffle." "What do you propose to do, then?" "I am going round to Scotland Yard myself." Lutchester rose to his feet. "Stay where you are for a minute, please," he begged. He passed into a smaller room, and Graham could hear faintly the sound of the telephone. In a minute or two his host returned. "Go in there and speak, Graham," he invited. "You will find some one you know at the other end." Graham did as he was bidden, and Lutchester closed the door after him. For a few minutes the latter sat in his chair, smoking quietly, his eyes fixed upon the fire. Then his unwilling guest reappeared. He came into the room a little unsteadily and looked with new eyes at the man who seemed so unaccountably to have taken over the control of his affairs. "I don't understand all this," he muttered. "Who the devil are you, anyway, Lutchester?" "A very ordinary person, I can assure you," was the quiet reply. "However, you are satisfied, I suppose, that my advice is good?" "Yes, I am satisfied," Graham answered nervously. "You know that--that I'm under arrest?" Lutchester nodded. "Well, you're not asking for my sympathy, I suppose?" he observed drily. The young man flushed. "I know that I behaved like a fool," he admitted. "All the same, I've been working night and day for weeks on this problem. I haven't even been up to town once. I must say I think they seem inclined to be a little hard on me." "No one is going to be in the least hard on you," Lutchester assured him. "You have committed a frightful indiscretion, and all that is asked of you now is to keep your mouth shut. If you do that, I think a way will be found for you out of your troubles." "But what is to become of me?" Graham demanded.