He looked thin and tired, but smiled when she gave him her hand.
"I'm here," he said.

"A little late, but the train was held up by a broken trestle." "You are always where you are wanted," Agatha replied, with a touch of color in her face.

"One trusts people like that." Thirlwell said he would get a hack in the square, and Agatha studied him as they drove across the city.

Sometimes his face was stern, but for the most part, it wore a look of quiet satisfaction, and once or twice his eyes twinkled, as if he were amused by something.
"It's too bad to hurry you off to an important meeting when you're tired," she said.
Thirlwell laughed.

"I expect to hold out until the business is finished.
In fact, I'm looking forward to meeting Mr.Stormont." He had made a long and risky journey over a rough trail and across rotten ice, and after George's messenger found him had pushed on as fast as possible through deep, melting snow, but he did not mean to talk about this.