twenty minutes past twelve
All the while he shook his head and slashed with his walking stick through the air . There was no doubt that Mr. Carrington was thoroughly and genuinely puzzled . Carrington 's soliloquy was interrupted by the appearance of someone on the pavement ahead of him . He pulled himself together , took out his watch , and saw that it was still only twenty minutes past twelve . After thinking for a moment , he murmured : `` I might as well try 'em ! '' And thereupon he set out at a brisk walk , and a few minutes later was closeted with Superintendent Sutherland in the Police Station . He began by handing the Superintendent a card with the name of Mr. F. T. Carrington on it , but with quite a different address from that on the card he had sent up to Mr. Rattar .