THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS
I manufactured it rather neatly, so that it looked like a loose page of a private letter.
"Take this down and say it was found in my bedroom and ask them to return it to me if they overtake me."
Three minutes later I heard the car begin to move, and peeping from behind the curtain, caught sight of the two figures. One was slim, the other was sleek; that was the most I could make of my reconnaissance.
The innkeeper appeared in great excitement. "Your paper woke them up," he said gleefully. "The dark fellow went as white as death and cursed like blazes, and the fat one whistled and looked ugly. They paid for their drinks with half a sovereign and wouldn't wait for change."
"Now I'll tell you what I want you to do," I said. "Get on your bicycle and go off to Newtown Stewart to the chief constable. Describe the two men, and say you suspect them of having had something to do with the London murder. You can invent reasons. The two will come back, never fear. Not to-night,
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