you got my message through the flower-seller ? what message and what flower-seller ? please yourself . there &apos;s other talent for hire . Loddon began to signal the waiter . all right , no need to go off half-cocked . you might be a flick . do I look like one ? no &amp;hellip; . okay . anywhere we can talk ? I &apos;ll leave in a moment ; you go out the entrance where they come in from Coventry Street . I &apos;ll probably be around . the man got up and left , pausing a moment at the door where the porter wanted to know why he had no bill . Loddon paid his own account , finished his cigarette and got up . he looked about him , wondering if Sergeant Leinster was in the room . if so , he was not visible . in Coventry Street the reporter halted outside the doors of the Corner House , waiting . his table companion appeared , touching his arm and making a head jerk towards Rupert Street . they walked in silence , turning into a wide court half-way up on the right where , half-way along it , the man stopped . now friend , what &apos;s the job ? your name Light ? what &apos;s that got to do with it ? his tone was wary . I never talk to men without names . choosey , are n&apos;t you ? call me Shiner . if you &apos;ve got any funny ideas about anything , forget them . he touched his left arm that Loddon had noticed was carried slightly away from his body , the sign-manual of the man habitually used to a shoulder-holster . I &apos;m never funny when I &apos;m out on business . but I &apos;m damned if I &apos;m going to talk in a place like this . know anywhere private ? I might do , if you give me a lead on something interesting , for example . Loddon did not say anything , fumbling in the left-hand pocket of his trench-coat . he half grinned when he saw Light &apos;s hand begin to move towards his left armpit . when the reporter &apos;s hand reappeared , it contained a thick packet . he flicked the top fold , revealing five-pound notes in what was a very large collection of them . this good enough ? plenty more where these came from . Light &apos;s quick look was expert . looks about seventy of them in that lot . eighty , to be precise . good enough . we &apos;ll get a cab . got any objection if I ask you to hold your hat over your eyes on the journey , friend ? I do n&apos;t advertise my home . Loddon was amused at Light &apos;s caution , but impressed by it when he stopped a cab in Wardour Street and held out a card to the man , telling him to drive to the address it bore . from behind the shelter of his hat Loddon , whose knowledge of London is almost as good as Superintendent Shott &apos;s , knew when they turned left in Shaftesbury Avenue . from Piccadilly Circus , following the curious angle round Hyde Park Corner , it was fairly easy and , by the slight left hand sway of the cab , Brompton Road was identified . then Loddon got confused , but he had an idea they turned round the Albert Hall and began to twist in a multitude of small streets , halting at last . if he could not guess the address , he had a shrewd idea of its whereabouts . when he got out it was in a short , ill-lighted mews . the cab driver was paid off . Light led the way to a door beside a closed garage . he took a key out of a pocket , smiling without humour when he saw Loddon looking round . do n&apos;t worry , friend . you &apos;ll never guess it in a thousand years . Loddon nodded in a baffled fashion , not bothering to add that a small sign in the distance , caught by a trick of light from a badly curtained window , said : Hickliff - coals . he knew he would have no trouble in finding the mews when he wanted to come again . there was darkness behind the door that opened . not until Loddon had reached the top was a button touched , and he saw a door on his right . go on in ; it &apos;s not locked . the door gave access to a tidily furnished sitting-room where chintz and Japanese oak predominated . at one end was a large record-player with , on the facing side of the room , a television set . make yourself at home . Light threw his coat and hat on a chair . Loddon retained his own . thanks , I &apos;m not staying long . only take a few minutes . sounds like something easy . drink ? Light moved over to a table spread with bottles . whisky ; if not , beer . easy . he filled two glasses and brought them across , sitting on a low couch facing Loddon . health . and yours . the reporter sipped the drink , setting down the glass unusually slowly . he was trying to find an angle , not so much for the purpose of framing a proposition but in the hope of getting Light to unwittingly give him a slant on the facts he was seeking . now look - then he paused . the door he had noticed on the far side of the room was opened , and a big man with an extremely ugly face entered . he was yawning and stretching as if he had just woken from sleep . he stopped , and stared . this the prospect ? his voice was soft , almost urbane . that &apos;s right , Eeky . we was just getting down to business . he &apos;s willing to pay - Eeky Morris went slowly to a table near the wall , took something out of it , and turned , a long-barrelled Smith &amp; Wesson service pistol in one hand . he made a face at Light &apos;s expression of surprise . sucker , are n&apos;t you , Shiner ? seen this chap more than once . name &apos;s Loddon . he &apos;s a reporter . the pale blue eyes became narrowed and bitter . you sure ? sure I &apos;m sure ! seen him at a coupla trials , and his picture in the daily report , once . and you brought him here ! his message came through the pillar-box . that damned flower-merchant ! Morris &apos;s voice was sour . probably got the lead from one of the boys . I always told you it &apos;s asking for trouble relying on that old fool . I &apos;m here , too , Loddon said ; he disliked being ignored , even if the party was scarcely in his favour . I &apos;m a reporter . okay . and what the hell do you propose to do about it ? Light was on his toes again . one hand sneaked out and the reporter &apos;s face became white then scarlet where the violence of an open palm hit it . that &apos;s what , friend . he half turned to Morris . I &apos;ll take him , Eeky ? please yourself . I &apos;ll cover him while you frisk him . Loddon submitted meekly to the search , his blue eyes so intently angry that Light was outstared , completing the search with rough hands . he swore gently . precisely nothing to identify him . and - he swore again . two fivers covering a bundle of scrap cut the same size . you busy little fellow ! his hand took Loddon on the other cheek , then he began to remove his jacket . this is something I &apos;m going to enjoy , friend . Loddon glanced at Morris &apos;s gun , guessed at the proximity of neighbours , and decided to chance it . Light had only half removed his jacket , he went forward as if he had jumped . one ready fist came up from the ground in an almost classic haymaker . Light &apos;s head snicked back ; he folded up as if he had suddenly gone boneless , and lay still . Morris said something wicked under his breath . clever bastard ! stay where you are , unless - unless nothing ! Loddon leapt at him , the comforting zeal for battle rising with the swift urgency he knew well . you would n&apos;t use that thing here , and you know it ! he dodged the downward lash of an attempted pistol-whipping , and one fist smacked on Morris &apos;s ear with a comforting thud . but Morris was both larger and tougher than his partner . he threw away the gun , ignoring what must have been a painful blow , and stepped forward . if he was big , Loddon was not short , if with far less weight . the two of them stood toe to toe and traded blows with the efficient economy of men who knew how to fight . Loddon realized his weight was just not good enough when Morris began driving him back . he gave hurriedly , leapt over the chair he had been sitting on , and before Morris could understand the manoeuvre , vaulted back again with the help of a shortened handspring . both his feet in mid-air hit Morris on the chest . the action brought Loddon over , but it was on top of the partially winded Morris . they began rolling over and over , hands at throats and eyes , crashing into the silent Shiner Light on the way . the table of drink bottles came down . they ended against the record-player which tottered but did not fall , releasing a confetti of gramophone discs on them . Loddon did not think he had the stamina of the other man . he forced the attack to try and win the fight before he was exhausted , both of them gouging and punching with a sort of envenomed hate , grunting and cursing at each other . the pleasant sitting-room was becoming a chaos and neither of them paid any attention to knockings on the wall , the protests of alarmed and irritated neighbours . Morris , pounding steadily at Loddon , seemed determined to take all the punishment going so long as he could prevail in the end . with his physique it seemed highly probable he would . he hit the reporter in the chest with the force of controlled fury . but he telegraphed the blow , and Loddon was already moving away . he grunted , went head over heels and came up against a table behind the fallen table of drinks . he hurled himself backwards over it , sliding across and dropping to the far side . Morris angling himself forward almost simultaneously , got the impact of the table thrust at him . it was followed by Loddon in a headlong dive over the top . they went down with a violence that shook the floor , entangled themselves and began methodically to try and pound the life out of each other . it was bitter and merciless , and might have gone on until the gasping Loddon was finished . but Light &apos;s voice came like the lash of a whip : all right , friend ; stick &apos;em up . I &apos;m perfectly ready to use this thing . Loddon paused , half turning . he saw Light on his knees , holding Morris &apos;s gun , then folded up as Morris &apos;s fist drove into his wind with deliberate savagery . it seemed hours before Loddon came out of the wrenching of agony inside him . it felt as if he would never breathe again , but , somehow , with little gasps he slowly came to a doubtful normality . when Light dug him in the back with the gun , he tried to get up , failed , and tried again . this time he got to his feet , and stood there . his hands bunched and he tensed himself to jump at the jeering Eeky Morris . Light thrust the gun , and Loddon paused . all right , guts . if I can n&apos;t risk firing this thing , I can still club it , so nark it if you do n&apos;t want a sore head . Eeky , I want to know what this chap knows - it &apos;d pay to take it to certain people , eh ? yes , Morris , breathing heavily and dabbing at the blood pouring from a cut ear , looked as if he was going to enjoy the party after all . how ? ask him . if he does n&apos;t feel like answering , I can handle him . Light looked as if any refusal to answer would suit him ; he stared at Loddon with an intent expression . now , friend . a battered , still gasping Loddon grinned crookedly at him . melodrama in A flat ! it was a poor jest but it seemed funny enough to laugh at outright , then Loddon &apos;s lips curled in agony . the butt of the Smith &amp; Wesson was slapped viciously against the side of his knee . that &apos;ll do to start off with . Light moved back , waiting until Loddon &apos;s involuntary tears of agony had stopped . feel like being civil , friend ? if you put that gun down - I &apos;m taking you - I think not . the voice from the door brought round the heads of the three men . 