CHAPTER XVIII PART OF THE TRUTH While Bess was thus employed, her colleague had his hands full in London. On arriving at Paddington, Herrick drove directly to the West Kensington Flat. It was closed, and the porter explained that Mr. Joyce had been away for some weeks. "Ah, that is a pity," said Dr. Jim with a grim smile. "I wished to see him most particularly." "I expect him back shortly sir," said the man. "Ah! Has he written to fix the date of his return?" "Not yet sir. But Mr. Joyce never remains away more than a month or two." "He may change his habits this time." "I don't think so sir. Shall I tell him you called sir?" "No. You need not go so far as that. When he comes home just send a wire to that address. And this for yourself." The porter, a venal creature in uniform, looked at the half sovereign and the address of the Guelph Hotel in Jermyn Street. He promised faithfully to send a wire the moment Mr. Joyce returned, and Dr. Jim went away, very well satisfied that he had done right in having Robin watched. "Damned little scoundrel!" growled Herrick. "What is the use of sparing him? But that he is in the hands of a stronger villain, I would lay him by the heels straight off. But I shall deal with Santiago this time. I expect he and Joyce are plotting together in some hole." In another hour Herrick was climbing a flight of dingy stairs in the neighbourhood of the Strand. He stopped at the second landing and before a door, which bore the name of Kidd, Belcher & Co, Private Inquiry Office. On entering he was confronted by a dirty undersized boy. Kidd was absent on business, but Belcher was in, and on giving his card, Dr. Jim was shown into the next room. Here at a table near the window sat a man. That is he stood on two legs, he was neatly dressed, and he talked in a prim precise voice. But going by his face he was a ferret. The long face and nose, the broad forehead and small receding chin, and above all the red-rimmed eyes without eyebrows or eyelashes. All this made him look very much like a ferret. And his nature was also of the beast. He was a sly, silent, cunning tracker, relentless when once he had hunted down his prey. A dangerous man, a deadly man, who had elected to place himself on the side of the law, as offering the better price. Had he chosen to be one of the great criminal profession, Mr. Belcher would have been a dangerous opponent to the police. Luckily he found that honesty paid better than roguery, therefore he was at the disposal of Dr. Jim, for the watching of Santiago and Joyce. He talked freely on this point. "It's all right sir," he said in his whispering voice and arranging his neat white tie. "Kidd caught him at the Paddington station, and followed him to Pimlico." "Oh, he is in Pimlico is he?"