Thorndyke had already arrived, and, as I entered, he rose to greet me with an expression of evident relief.
"I am glad to see you, Jervis," he said. "I have been rather anxious about you."
"Why?" I asked.
"For several reasons. One is that you are the sole danger that threatens these people—as far as they know. Another is that we made a most ridiculous mistake. We overlooked a fact that ought to have struck us instantly. But how have you fared?"
"Better than I deserved. That good lady stuck to me like a burr—at least I believe she did."
"I have no doubt she did. We have been caught napping finely, Jervis."
"How?"
"We'll go into that presently. Let us hear about your adventures first."
I gave him a full account of my movements from the time when we parted to that of my arrival home, omitting no incident that I was able to remember and, as far as I could, reconstituting my exceedingly devious homeward route.
"Your retreat was masterly," he remarked with a broad smile. "I should think that it would have utterly defeated any pursuer; and the only pity is that it was probably wasted on the desert air. Your pursuer had by that time become a fugitive. But you were wise to take these precautions, for, of course, Weiss might have followed you."
