The irascible little man clenched his ready fists, and answered in a voice choked with anger. "I have been with you all the time, and I told you that I had not seen Herries for two years. How then can you ask me, of all people, where he has gone? Inspector Trent, are you a clever man, or a----?" "There! There!" interrupted the other, before the odious word could be pronounced. "I made a slight mistake." "Your mistakes, as you call them, may send Herries to the gallows." "We have to catch him first," retorted Trent snappishly, and the conversation ended for the time being. Decidedly the Inspector was in the wrong, and no amount of raging or arguing on his part would prove him to be right. He had failed to take proper precautions to guard the prisoner, and the bird had escaped the snare. Thinking again of the social importance of the victim, Trent cursed himself for having missed such a chance of improving his position. He knew well that the authorities would take no excuse, and at the moment, he could do nothing to repair his error. Herries was missing, and the whole police force would not be able to find him. Of course there might be a chance when the mists lifted, but the question was, when would they lift? Not for days perhaps, if the weather-wise rustics were to be believed, and thus Herries would have ample time to make his way to Pierside, or even into the jaws of the lion at Tarhaven, and get on board some outward-bound tramp. Once out of England, and Trent's chance of making a sensation, and of getting a rise in his salary, would be gone. He did the best that he could under the circumstances--that is, he left a policeman in charge of the cage whence the bird had flown, and stationed several in the village itself. The local constable, Armour, had not yet shown his face, and Trent was puzzled, as the man was bound, during the day, to come to Desleigh. But Armour was not visible, so the Inspector did what he could with the men he had brought from Tarhaven, judiciously disposing them about the place. It might be, he hopefully thought, that one of them might chance upon Herries wandering lost and miserable in the fogs. Then he placed the written depositions of Mrs. Narby and other witnesses in his pocket and started for Tarhaven. Before leaving the inn, however, he inquired if Browne was coming also. "No," said that gentleman shortly. "I shall stop here, and see that poor woman in the caravan." "Not your friend Herries then," asked Trent artfully. "If Herries returns, I'll send a wire to you at once." "I can't believe you." "That is both rude and unnecessary," retorted Browne, the veins swelling in his high forehead. "But I quite see that you cannot grasp my meaning. It is useless to explain. Good-day," and Browne turned on his heel sharply, leaving Trent furious at being thus addressed. The hide of your Jack-in-Office is extremely thin.