He pressed these things on the two men, lighted a cigar himself, and for a long time continued to walk up and down his end of the room, smoking and evidently in very deep thought.
The visitors left him alone, watching him curiously now and then--until, when quite ten minutes had gone by, he suddenly drew a chair close to them and sat down again.
"Now, listen to me!" he said.

"If I give my confidence to you, as police officials, will you give me your word that you won't make use of my information until I give you leave--or until you have consulted me further?
I shall rely on your word, mind!" "I say yes to that, doctor," answered Mitchington.
"The same here, sir," said the detective.
"Very well," continued Ransford.

"Then--this is between ourselves, until such time as I say something more about it.

First of all, I am not going to tell you anything whatever about Braden's antecedents--at present! Secondly--I am not sure that your theory, Mr.Jettison, is entirely correct, though I think it is by way of coming very near to the right one--which is sure to be worked out before long.

But--on the understanding of secrecy for the present I can tell you something which I should not have been able to tell you but for the events of tonight, which have made me put together certain facts.