The lean man in the over-large suit ambled across the room, his head bent forward, for he was very round-shouldered, and going to an old leather bag in the corner, slowly unlocked it and drew out a thick cartridge envelope which contained something hard.
Boyne took it from him quickly, and tearing it open, took out two dark-blue tubes of glass, the corks of which were sealed with wax.
"Are they all right?" he asked harshly. "Can you guarantee them? Now don't tell me a lie," he added threateningly, "or it will be the worse for you. I had a good mind to give you over to the police when you came to Pont Street the other night. You deserved it--venturing out like that."
"I got to know where you were, and I had to come and see you," whined the ugly creature as he ambled back to his chair.
"Don't do it again! Remain in hiding. Keep close here. You are in comfortable quarters. Old Mrs. Sampson below is always silent as regards her lodgers. Lots of men who have had this room have hidden from the police till they found a way out of it. Take my advice, and do the same. But don't attempt to come round to Pont Street--for we don't want you there, _understand that_?"
And he put the little glass tubes, which contained fatal bacteria, back into their envelope and placed them carefully in his pocket.
"But money! I must have money!" cried the other, a young-old man whose age it was impossible to determine though his hair was growing grey.
"Of course you must," laughed Boyne. "Here's fifty pounds to go on with. And keep a still tongue or it will be the worse for you. Recollect if you are unfortunate enough to be arrested, it will only be because of your own idiotic movements. Keep quiet here."
"Misfortune may befall any of us!" said the other in that peculiar whining voice which showed that his mental balance was not normal.
"True. But if you do happen to fall into the hands of the police, remember--breathe not a word. Trust to me to help you out of the scrape. Trust Mrs. Sampson downstairs--and trust me."
"Yes. But, oh, that beautiful mike! Burnt up. That beautiful mike!"
"Don't bother about that. I'll buy you another, and all the apparatus if you'll only keep a still tongue and remain in the house. I've told Mrs. Sampson not to let you out."