It's my report on Hume."
"Ah, thank you."
Ashton-Kirk took up the sheets and began running his eye through them.
"As you get deeper into this record, did Hume keep his promise?"
Burgess smiled.
"As to possibilities, do you mean? Why, yes. Indeed, I rather think
he exceeded them." The man lit the cigar which the investigator handed
him and drew at it appreciatively. "I went it alone on the first day;
but after that I took O'Neill and Purvis on. Between us, we managed to
get at something pretty definite."
"Has Fuller finished with Morris?"
"He is typing his report at this moment. It will be ready in a half
hour, I should think."
"Please tell him to bring it in as soon as it is finished."
Burgess nodded and went out. Ashton-Kirk continued to dip into the
report here and there.
"Among three of them," said Pendleton, "they should have sifted the
man's life and adventures pretty well."
As Ashton-Kirk continued to scan the pages, a peculiar expression
slowly came into his eyes.
"They seem to have done so, indeed. And rather cleverly, too, I think.
Would you care to hear the report?"
"By all means," eagerly.
The sheets were shifted into their proper order once more. Then
Ashton-Kirk read:
"'_A Further Investigation into the Affairs of David Purtell Hume_.
Pages:
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