which may have seemed to him to bring

Snacklit got out of the car. "I can see," he said, "that you are a wise man. You'd better come with me, and talk this over." The man stopped his clock. He said, "I'd like to know who's going to pay my fare." "You can't expect me to do that," Irene said. "I didn't ask you to bring me here. If you take me back where - - " "There's no hurry about that," Snacklit interposed. "But as to the fare, you'll both come with me, and we'll talk about that too." The man appeared to be reassured by this statement, which may have seemed to him to bring the incident back to a more normal level. He got out, and Irene, seeing no advantage in sitting longer in a vehicle which there was no one to drive, did the same. As she did this, she saw that the wide gates were already dosed. A yardman was dropping bars into their slots, while Burfoot was turning a heavy key. She disliked that, but still the taxi and its driver were with her. There was a measure of reassurance in that, which would have been more had the man been of a different sort. Snacklit went back to the gate to give some instructions to Burfoot, which were beyond her hearing. The driver said: "I hope you know what you're doing, miss. But I wish I was out of here." "I rather wish I were too," Irene admitted. "But you've no need to worry. Scotland Yard knows what I was doing. They'll see you right. It's that man who ought to be feeling sick." Perhaps he should. But he gave no sign of such inward emotions as he walked back to where they were standing. He seemed to have gained confidence since he had reached his own premises, and closed his gates on the outer world.