nine o'clock at
night
I 'd let you have my motor , only I must get over to the station and ` phone up headquarters on another affair in five minutes . '' `` It does n't matter , thank you all the same . I can get a taxi at the top of the road , '' said Van Nant ; and then , making his excuses to Miss Morrison and her father , he took up his hat and left the house . As a matter of fact , it was only courtesy that made him say that about the taxi , for there is rarely one to be found waiting about in the neighbourhood of Wandsworth Common after half-past nine o'clock at night , and nobody could have been more surprised than he when he actually did come across one , loitering about aimlessly and quite empty , before he had gone two dozen yards . He engaged it on the spot , jumped into it , gave the chauffeur his directions , and a minute later was whizzing away to the isolated house . It was eight minutes past ten when he reached it , standing as black and lightless as when he left it four hours ago , and , after paying off the chauffeur and dismissing the vehicle , he fumbled nervously for his latchkey , found it , unlocked the door , and went hurriedly in . `` Have you come yet , Mr. Cleek ? ''