Chapter 22 Endowning Street

The Prime Minister tapped the desk in front of him with nervous fingers.

His face was worn and harassed.

He took up his conversation with Mr. Carter at the point it had broken off.

I don't understand, he said.

Do you really mean that things are not so desperate after all?

So this lad seems to think.

Let's have a look at his letter again.

Mr. Carter handed it over.

It was written in a sprawling boyish hand.

Dear Mr. Carter, some things turned up that has given me a jar.

Of course I may be simply making an awful ass of myself, but I don't think so.

If my conclusions are right, that girl at Manchester was just a plant.

The whole thing was pre-arranged, sham packet and all, with the object of making us think

the game was up.

Therefore, I fancy though we must have been pretty hot on the send.

I think I know who the real Jane Fin is, and I've even got an idea where the papers

are.

That lasts only a guess, of course, but I sort of feeling it'll turn out right.

Anyhow, I enclose it in a sealed envelope for what it's worth.

I'm going to ask you not to open it until the very last moment, midnight, on the 28th,

in fact.

...