On our way out, Boyd detailed the history of the telephone, the ‘abominable mystery’ of which I for the life of me could not see. Still, I needn’t say I was greatly interested. According to Boyd there was nothing irregular about it, at least on the face of things. It was in the name of Mr. Wills. The rental was paid by the estate agents. Nor was there anything unusual about them. But I noticed that Lewis was especially attentive when Boyd described the owner of the property.
He was a gentleman named N. V. Talbot, whose address — he appeared to have no settled location — was in care of the London and Provincial Bank in Shepherd’s Bush. Apparently he was an eccentric. Most of his time was spent abroad. He had been in London during the spring and summer, and had left for the United States, i
