Alias the Saint by Leslie Charteris, David Case Page B

your departure as soon as you choose to go. I promised you one thousand pounds for your services, and I’ll write you a check for that amount now.”
    He did so, sitting down at the table. She took the check and looked at it without interest.
    “Now,” he said, replacing the cap on his fountain pen, “I wonder what your plans are?”
    “I haven’t made any,” said the girl, in a tired 1 voice. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
    “1 understand,” said the Professor sympathetically. “That was a difficulty in your path which occurred to me shortly after you’d started work, and I have given it a good deal of thought. In fact, I have prepared a solution which I should like to offer you. You may accept or reject it, as you please, but I beg you to give it your consideration.” She shrugged.
    “You can tell me what it is.”
    “I suggest that you should leave the country, and start life afresh,” said Raxel. “The thousand pounds which I have given you will provide you with enough capital to last you for several months, and that should give you plenty of time to find fresh employment. With your qualifications that should be fairly easy.”
    “But where am I to go?”
    “I suggest that you go to America. In fact, I have taken the liberty of booking a first-class passage for you on the Megantic, which sails from Southampton early to-morrow morning. You may, of course, decline to go, but I think you would be wise to take it.”
    The girl spread out her hands in a weary gesture.
    “America’s as good as any other place,” she said. “But I haven’t got my passport down here, and there isn’t time to go back to London for it. Besides, I haven’t a visa.”
    That also I have taken the liberty of arranging,” said Raxel.
    He produced a newspaper of the day before, and pointed to a paragraph. She read: “Burglars last night forced an entry into the first floor flat at 202 Cambridge Square, Bayswater, occupied by Mr. Ralph Tregarth and his sister , ., sister away in the country … bureau broken open “… Mr. Tregarth said … nothing of value taken…”
    “The report was quite correct—nothing of value was taken, except this,” said Raxel.
    He took a little book from his pocket and handed it over to her. It was her own passport.
    “I caused one of my agents in London to obtain it,” explained Raxel. “The following morning he took it to the United States Consulate and obtained a visa. There should now be nothing to stop you leaving for Southampton this afternoon. If you are agreeable, Mr. Marring will drive you to Southampton to-night. You can board the Megantic at once, and go to sleep; by the time you wake up, England and all your fears will have been left behind.
    Betty Tregarth passed a hand across her eyes.
    “I’ve no choice, have I?” she said. “Yes, I’ll go. Will you let me write a couple of letters?”
    “Certainly,” said Raxel obligingly. “In fact, if you would like to write them now, I will post them myself on my walk through the village this after noon.”
    “And read them first, I suppose,” said the girl cynically, “to see that there’s nothing in them to incriminate you. Well, there won’t be—you’re quite safe. They’ll be just ordinary good-bye letters.”
    Raxel waited patiently while she wrote two short notes—one to her brother, and one to Rameses Smith. She addressed the envelopes and pointedly left the flaps open. Raxel smiled to himself and stuck them down in her presence.
    “I don’t need to read them,” he said. “The fact that you were prepared to allow me to do so proves at once that the precaution is not necessary.”
    “Will you let me say good-bye to Mr. Smith?” she asked.
    Raxel shook his head regretfully.
    “I am afraid that is impossible, Miss Tregarth,” he said. “It is the only privilege that I am forced to deny you.”
    She nodded.
    “It doesn’t matter, really,” she said flatly. “I didn’t think you’d let