of innocence is a pure fiction; that the treatment of an accused man,
from the moment of his arrest, is that of a criminal. However," he
concluded, hailing a passing hansom, "this discussion must be adjourned
or I shall be late at the hospital. What are you going to do?"

"I shall get some lunch and then call on Miss Gibson to let her know the
real position."

"Yes, that will be kind, I think; baldly stated, the news may seem
rather alarming. I was tempted to thrash the case out in the police
court, but it would not have been safe. He would almost certainly have
been committed for trial after all, and then we should have shown our
hand to the prosecution."

He sprang into the hansom and was speedily swallowed up in the traffic,
while I turned back towards the police court to make certain inquiries
concerning the regulations as to visitors at Holloway prison. At the
door I met the friendly inspector from Scotland Yard, who gave me the
necessary information, whereupon with a certain homely little French
restaurant in my mind I bent my steps in the direction of Soho.




CHAPTER VII

SHOALS AND QUICKSANDS


When I arrived at Endsley Gardens, Miss Gibson was at home, and to my