64 ANGEL PAVEMENT

way across London and entirely ignoring Mr. Smeeth's
protest, "I know wotcher goin' to say, but it'll 'ave to
be fifty this time. I been talkin' ter Tommy Rawson
s'afternoon, an' 'e says yer'll be lucky if yer get it at that.
Tell Charlie from me/ Je says,' 'e won't touch it under
fifty an' 'e'll be lucky if 'e gets it at that/ Tommy's own
words them. An* I agree, / agree, Nar then, what d'yer
say, Charlie?"

''You've got the wrong number," cried Mr. Smeeth.

"What's that? I want Mr, 'Iggins."

'There's no Mr. Higgins here. This is Twigg and
Dersingham."

"Wrong number again/' said the voice, disgusted,
"Ring oS-for gord's sake."

Mr. Smeeth, relieved, rang off with pleasure, and de-
parted, chuckling a little. Who was Charlie, and what
was it he had to pay fifty for, and why did Tommy
Rawson think he'd be lucky if he got it? "Might easily
be crooks/' he concluded, with a little romantic thrill,
worthy of Stanley himself, and then smiled at himself.
More likely to be fellows buying second-hand cars, loads
of scrap iron, or something like that. At the bottom of
the stairs, he ran into the tall fellow with the broad-
brimmed hat, who was just coming out of his Kwk*
Work Razor Blade place.

The tall man nodded. 'Turning colder."

"Just a bit," replied Mr. Smeeth heartily. These little
encounters and recognitions pleased him, making him
feel that he was somebody. "Not so bad, though, for the
time of year."

"That's right. Business good?"

"So-so. Not so good as it might be." And then Mr,
Smeeth let the tall man stride away down Angel Pave-