If
you'll release me from that, I'll unburden myself of one or two which
will otherwise keep me awake to-night."
"Go ahead," said Ashton-Kirk with a smile.
"Why," asked Pendleton, "do you want the police called off at Hume's?
and why should we place ourselves on watch instead?"
"At the very first we made up our minds that the men who murdered Hume
were in search of something, didn't we? Up to this time I have been
unable to say whether they had succeeded or not. Now, however, I am
convinced that they failed."
"Ah!"
"To-morrow the newspapers will announce that Hume's place is to be no
longer guarded. It may be that the criminals are desperate enough to
venture another visit in order to gain possession of the thing they
covet. If they do, we shall be awaiting them."
"But how do you know that they failed of their object on the night of
the murder?"
"You and I," said Ashton-Kirk, laughingly, "are perhaps going to spend
considerable time in Christie Place, beginning with to-morrow evening.
And while there we may find it dull enough, old boy; a little
amusement of a practical sort might not be found out of place. So I'll
not answer your question now; I'll allow it to stand until to-morrow
night; and then I'll give it to you, compact and complete, with
practical illustrations as I go along.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252