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.Besides, it wouldn't do you any good.You couldn't sell stuff likethis.""You could sell it without the slightest trouble," Simon contradicted him."There are any number of collectors who aren't particular how they make theircollections, and who don't care if they can't show them to the public.AndI've never been in jail, anyway-one ought to try everything once."He spent the next hour going slowly round the exhibition, making carefulwritten notes about the exhibits in his catalogue, while Vascoe watched himwith his rage rising to the brink of apoplexy.He also examined all thewindows and showcases, taking measurements and drawing diagrams with a darklyconspiratorial air, and only appearing to notice the existence of the twoobvious detectives who followed him everywhere when he politely asked them notto breathe so heavily down his neck.Teal saw the headlines, and nearly blew all the windows out of Scotland Yard.He burst into the Saint's apartment like a whirling dervish."What's the meaning of this?" he bugled brassily, thrusting a crumpled copy ofthe Daily Mail under the Saint's nose."Come on-what is it?"Page 60 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlSimon looked at the quivering sheet." 'Film Star Says She Prefers Love'," he read from it innocently."Well, Isuppose it means just that, Claud.Some people are funny that way.""I mean this!" blared the detective, dabbing at Morgan Dean's headline with astubby forefinger."I've warned you once, Templar; and by God if you try towin this bet I'll get you for it if it's the last thing I do!"The Saint lighted a cigarette and leaned back."Aren't you being just a little bit hasty?" he inquired reasonably; but hisblue eyes were twinkling with imps of mockery that sent cold shivers up anddown the detective's spine."All I've done is to bet that there'll be aburglary at Vascoe's within the week.It may be unusual, but is it criminal?If I were an insurance company --""You aren't an insurance company," Teal said pungently."But you wouldn't makea bet like that if you thought there was any risk of losing it.""That's true.But that still doesn't make me a burglar.Maybe I was hoping toput the idea into somebody else's head.Now if you want to give your nastysuspicious mind something useful to work on, why don't you find out somethingabout Vascoe's insurance?"For a moment the audacity of the suggestion took Teal's breath away.And thenincredulity returned to his rescue."Yes-and see if I can catch him burgling his own house so he can lose fivethousand pounds!" he hooted."Do you know what would happen if I let mysuspicious mind have its own way? I'd have you arrested as a suspected personand keep you locked up for the rest of the week!"The Saint nodded enthusiastically."Why don't you do that?" he suggested."It'd give me a gorgeous alibi."Teal glared at him thoughtfully.The temptation to take the Saint at his wordwas almost overpowering.But the tantalising twinkle in the Saint's eyes, andthe memory of many past encounters with the satanic guile of that debonairfreebooter, filled Teal's heated brain with a gnawing uneasiness thatparalysed him.The Saint must have considered that contingency: if Tealcarried out his threat, he might be doing the very thing that the Saintexpected and wanted him to do-he might be walking straight into a baited trapthat would elevate him to new pinnacles of ridiculousness before it turned himloose.The thought made him go hot and cold all over.Which was exactly what Simon meant it to do."When I put you in the cooler," Teal proclaimed loudly, "you're going to staythere for more than a week."He stormed out of the apartment and went to interview Vascoe."With your permission, sir," he said, "I'd like to post enough men round thishouse to make it impossible for a mouse to get in."Vascoe shook his head.Page 61 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"I haven't asked for protection," he said coldly."If you did that, the Saintwould be forced to abandon the attempt.I should prefer him to make it.TheIngerbeck Agency is already employed to protect my collection.There are twoarmed guards in the house all day, and another man on duty all night.And theplace is fitted with the latest burglar alarms.The only way it could besuccessfully robbed would be by an armed gang, and we know that the Saintdoesn't work that way.No, Inspector.Let him get in.He won't find it so easyto get out again.And then I'll be very glad to send for you."Teal argued, but Vascoe was obstinate.He almost succeeded in convincing thedetective of the soundness of his reasoning.There would be no triumph orglory in merely preventing the Saint from getting near the house; but to catchhim red-handed would be something else again.Nevertheless, Teal would havefelt happier if he could have convinced himself that the Saint was possible tocatch."At least, you'd better let me post one of my own men outside," he said."You will do nothing of the sort," Vascoe said curtly."The Saint wouldrecognise him a mile off.The police have had plenty of opportunities to catchhim before this, and I don't remember your making any brilliant use of them."Teal left the house in an even sourer temper than he had entered it, and if hehad been a private individual he would have assured himself that anything thathappened to Vascoe or his art treasures would be richly deserved.Unfortunately his duty didn't allow him to dispose of the matter so easily.Hehad another stormy interview with the Assistant Commissioner, who for thefirst time in history was sympathetic."You've done everything you could, Mr Teal," he said."If Vascoe refuses togive us any assistance, he can't expect much.""The trouble is that if anything goes wrong, that won't stop him squawking,"Teal said gloomily.Of all the persons concerned, Simon Templar was probably the most untroubled.For two days he peacefully followed the trivial rounds of his normallaw-abiding life; and the plain-clothes men whom Teal had set to watch him, inspite of his instructions, grew bored with their vigil.At about two o'clock in the morning of the third day his telephone rang."This is Miss Vascoe's chauffeur, sir," said the caller."She couldn't reach atelephone herself, so she asked me to speak to you.She said that she must seeyou."Simon's blood ran a shade faster-he had been half expecting such a call."When and where?" he asked crisply."If you can be in Regent's Park near the Zoo entrance in an hour's time,sir-she'll get there as soon as she has a chance to slip away.""Tell her I'll be there," said the Saint.He hung up the instrument and looked out of the window
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