"No, sir, 'tecs," he said. "There's a big 'un now--just the opposite to
the little 'un, Hawkshaw. I 'ope I 'aven't to tackle this customer,
though. He'd gimme a doin', by the looks of 'im."

Bates had disappeared before Grant remembered that the press photographer
had mentioned the Big 'Un and the Little 'Un of the Yard.

"Now, I wonder," he said.

His wonder could hardly have equaled Winter's had he heard the gardener's
words. The guess was a distinct score for blunt Sussex, though it was
founded solely on the assumption that all comers now, unless Bates was
personally acquainted with them, were limbs of the law.




CHAPTER XII

WHEREIN WINTER GETS TO WORK


Winter had identified Bates at the first glance. The letters in the man's
hand, too, showed his errand, so, while the gardener was climbing the
hill, the detective slipped into Robinson's cottage.

He found the policeman awaiting him in the dark, because a voice said:

"Beg pardon, sir, but the other gentleman from the 'Yard' asked me to
take him into the kitchen. A light in the front room might attract