Fred was eyeing Hanson with a little tingle passing up and down his spine . this police inspector looked genuine enough , but Freeman was taking no chances . the fact that the inspector was a total stranger increased his suspicions . Fred was well acquainted with most of the police officers who operated in this district &amp;hellip; . sorry , sir , he said blandly . I &apos;d better tell you the truth , I think . no need for you to waste your time . Mr Conquest went out some time ago . Hanson &apos;s lips tightened . he believed this to be a lie . Landis had been watching , and he was convinced that the Conquests had not left - and Landis was a man who had been well trained for work of this kind . so Mr Conquest went out ? said Hanson , with ominous calm . I &apos;d advise you not to lie to me , my man . if Conquest gave you orders to say that he was out &amp;hellip; . no , sir . he went out . I saw him go . when did he go ? and where ? did n&apos;t say where , sir - never does say . when do you expect him back ? never expect him back , sir , said Fred , in the same bland voice . he &apos;s a very uncertain young gentleman , is Mr Conquest . might be hours . might be days . was he alone ? no , sir . his wife was with him . Hanson was now certain that Freeman was lying . Landis could not possibly have missed seeing the small , attractive figure of Joy . Hanson was rapidly becoming exasperated , and he showed it in his manner . who else is in the flat ? he snapped . nobody , sir . no servants ? there &apos;s Miss Bliss , the housekeeper , but she left an hour ago . and there &apos;s Livingstone , who looks after Mr Conquest &apos;s car , and does odd jobs . he went out , too . the flat &apos;s empty . Hanson swore . listen to me , my man , he said grimly , as he laid a hard hand on Fred &apos;s arm . we in the police are well aware of Conquest and his tricky ways . he may live like a gentleman in an expensive penthouse , but he &apos;s worse than half the crooks in London . you &apos;re lying to me - on his orders . take me up to the penthouse at once . what &apos;s the use ? asked Freeman . it &apos;s empty . he was inwardly excited . he believed this police inspector to be a phony , and he had to decide what to do on the spur of the moment . it was the first time he had ever been required to take a really active part in one of his employer &apos;s enterprises , and he was thrilled . that &apos;s enough , said Hanson curtly . take me up immediately . all right , sir . Freeman led the way to the private lift , and a minute later they were ascending . at the top , as soon as the door slid open , Hanson stepped out , and was annoyed to find Freeman following him . the lounge was empty . all right - you can take the lift down , said Hanson curtly . I shall n&apos;t need you now . no , sir , said Fred stubbornly . I &apos;ve had the guv&apos;nor &apos;s orders not to let anybody into the flat , and if you was n&apos;t a policeman I would n&apos;t have let you in . I &apos;m staying until you &apos;ve finished . Hanson had not expected this difficulty . even in his role of a police inspector there was a limit to the amount of ordering he could do . it would be dangerous to arouse this porter &apos;s suspicions . also , the lounge was very empty , and the entire penthouse was silent , with no sign of life . Mr Conquest ! shouted Hanson loudly . silence - except for a discreet cough from Fred . I told you there was n&apos;t anybody home , he said . no good you shouting , sir . stay where you are , snapped Hanson . he was not only puzzled , but alarmed . the Conquests were here - they must be here . if they had left , Landis would have seen them . Hanson suspected a trick . with a hand in the pocket of his uniform jacket - where he carried the gun - he made for the nearest door . it led through into the kitchen quarters . everything tidy and neat , but no living thing present . Hanson quickly explored Aunt Susan &apos;s bedroom , which was also in this part of the penthouse . baffled , he returned to the lounge . an examination of the bedrooms and bathroom led to the same result . empty . he passed through the passage , watched amusedly by Fred , into the garage . no sign of life here , either . the shiny Merc&amp;eacute;d&amp;egrave;s was there , its windows shattered as of the previous night . hell ! muttered Hanson under his breath . he inwardly cursed Landis . the man had obviously fallen down on his job . in some way , every occupant of the penthouse had left the premises - and Landis had not seen them go . it was understandable that Aunt Susan and Livingstone had escaped the watcher &apos;s attention ; but it was incredible that he could have missed such striking figures as those of Norman and Joy . how the devil had he been tricked ? well , sir ? asked Freeman patiently , as Hanson re-entered the lounge . you appear to have been right , admitted Hanson savagely . there &apos;s nobody here . take me down . he made a move towards the lift , and then halted . he had caught sight of a card prominently displayed on the cocktail bar . he strode across , and examined it - and a fluttery sensation assailed his stomach . the card simply said - back on April the nineteenth . the implication was obvious . the world , in Conquest &apos;s opinion , would still be functioning after the expiration of the true prophet &apos;s deadline . Hanson inwardly squirmed . this young hell-hound was prepared for everything ! he had even suspected that the opposition would invade the penthouse , and he had left this card for their benefit ! Hanson &apos;s very appearance - his hard breathing , his frustration , his savage expression - assured Fred Freeman that he was a fake . no genuine police inspector would have reacted in this way . and Fred was agog with excitement because he had suddenly decided to make a move which might , or might not , meet with Conquest &apos;s approval . he was going to act on his own initiative , and his heart began to pump . I &apos;m sorry , sir , he said , striving to keep his voice normal , but there &apos;s one room you have n&apos;t seen . at least , I do n&apos;t think you &apos;ve seen it . I meant to tell you about it . it &apos;s a sort of private room . Mr Conquest might be there . Hanson swung round , staring . a private room ? yes , sir . you would n&apos;t have seen it . take me to it . Hanson had no suspicion that this ordinary-looking porter was adopting something of his employer &apos;s technique . he was not surprised , however , to hear that the flat contained a private room . Fedder had told him a great deal about the trickiness of the young man who signed himself 1066 . it was unfortunate , however , that Fedder had not mentioned the private room - which Fedder himself had occupied , to his mortification , at the time when Conquest had been getting to grips with Pierre Dacca , the Paris criminal . this way , sir . Fred was quivering with eagerness . he led the way into the laboratory , which Hanson had already examined . a plain , austere apartment , gleaming with porcelain-tiled walls and glass shelves . Fred went straight across to the plain wall opposite the door . it &apos;s here , sir , he said , grinning . what are you trying to do - make a fool of me ? shouted Hanson . there &apos;s no doorway in that wall . Fred reached up , but Hanson did not see what his hand was doing ; all he knew was that a portion of the wall silently opened , revealing a void . lights sprang on , and Hanson found himself staring into a comfortable little inner room , where there was a lounge and other articles of furniture . he took rapid steps to the doorway , and peered in . a fatal move &amp;hellip; . for Hanson had placed himself exactly where Fred Freeman required him . a quick shove , and Hanson blundered headlong into the inner room . before he could recover his balance , the wall had closed upon him . Fred , on his side , breathed heavily . blimey , I hope I &apos;ve done right ! he muttered , thoroughly scared now that the thing had been accomplished . months ago , Conquest had shown Freeman the secret of the inner room , saying that it might be useful , one day , for Fred to know about it . for Conquest trusted the man implicitly , and with good reason . Fred was as loyal as Livingstone himself . but this was the first time he had ever actively assisted Norman , and the occasion rather overawed him . he remembered something else . he again turned to the blank wall , and this time a little cubby-hole opened , not far from the door - much too small to admit the exit of a human body . he bent down , and saw Hanson &apos;s face staring at him . how do you like it , mister ? asked Fred recklessly . you a police inspector ? a cop ? like my foot ! when do you think I was born - yesterday ? my God ! panted Hanson , his brain nearly bursting . he had been alarmed to find himself trapped , but to see the gloating face of his trapper peering at him through this hole was more than his nerve could stand . Conquest put you up to this ! he snarled . let me out of here ! he pulled the gun out of his pocket and thrust it forward , thus certifying himself as a fake - for no genuine police inspector carries a gun . put your hands up ! Fred laughed . the threat was so idle that he could afford to laugh . all the same , he lost no time in sliding along the wall , out of range . there was still the danger that the trapped man would reach as far as possible through the opening , and use the gun , but Fred scotched this by operating the mechanism again , and causing the opening to close itself up . not that he need have worried ; for Hanson was no gunman , and in the excitement of the moment he had forgotten to release the safety-catch of the automatic . I was right , whispered Fred to himself , with jubilation . he &apos;s a phony . the word put an idea into his head , and he hurried through to the lounge and went to the phone . he dialled a Streatham number , and in a few moments was gratified to hear Conquest &apos;s clear voice . it &apos;s me , sir - Fred , panted the porter . something &apos;s happened , sir . I do n&apos;t know whether I &apos;ve done right , but I hope I have . you sound hoarse , Fred . calm down , and tell me exactly what happened , came Conquest &apos;s voice . spare no details , however slight , for I suspect that your singular narrative will be fraught with interest . come off it , Mr Conquest , protested Fred . this is serious . I &apos;ve got a man locked up in your secret room &amp;hellip; . he went into details , describing exactly what had happened &amp;hellip; . did I do right , sir ? he ended anxiously . the word right is totally inadequate , Fred , replied Norman , with a chuckle in his voice . well done ! as nice a piece of work as I can remember . I thought there might be some kind of enemy activity , although I hardly expected it to explode so soon . this blighter has a gun , eh ? you &apos;d better warn Bill Williams about that . Mr Williams , sir ? yes . as soon as we &apos;ve hung up , get through to Scotland Yard , ask for the superintendent , and tell him what you &apos;ve got . he &apos;ll be charmed . another of the ungodly for Bill &apos;s collection . we &apos;re not doing so badly , Fred . this bloke of yours seems to be one of the more important specimens . the porter , who had not the faintest idea of the game which Conquest was playing , asked no questions . he was satisfied with Norman &apos;s words of praise , and he lost no time in getting in touch with Scotland Yard &amp;hellip; . at Hampstead , Fedder was impatiently awaiting Hanson &apos;s return . he was not too satisfied with Hanson . more than once , since they had parted , he had felt that he should have sent a more determined , more ruthless man on this particular assignment . too late now , of course . all he could do was wait . the truth was , Fedder had been pitchforked into near-panic action by the fear that Conquest , if any delay took place , would elude him . 