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Chapter 10
Theoldman’smannerwasperfect.“MrHannay?”hesaidhesitatingly.“Didyouwishtoseeme?Onemoment,youfellows,andI’llrejoinyou.Wehadbettergotothesmoking-room.”
ThoughIhadn’tanounceofconfidenceinme,Iforcedmyselftoplaythegame.Ipulledupachairandsatdownonit.
“Ithinkwehavemetbefore,”Isaid,“andIguessyouknowmybusiness.”
Thelightintheroomwasdim,butsofarasIcouldseetheirfaces,theyplayedthepartofmystificationverywell.
“Maybe,maybe,”saidtheoldman.“Ihaven’taverygoodmemory,butI’mafraidyoumusttellmeyourerrand,sir,forIreallydon’tknowit.”
“Well,then,”Isaid,andallthetimeIseemedtomyselftobetalkingpurefoolishness—“Ihavecometotellyouthatthegame’sup.Ihaveawarrantforthearrestofyouthreegentlemen.”
“Arrest,”saidtheoldman,andhelookedreallyshocked.“Arrest!GoodGod,whatfor?”
“ForthemurderofFranklinScudderinLondononthe23rddayoflastmonth.”
“Ineverheardthenamebefore,”saidtheoldmaninadazedvoice.
Oneoftheothersspokeup.“ThatwasthePortlandPlacemurder.Ireadaboutit.Goodheavens,youmustbemad,sir!Wheredoyoucomefrom?”
“ScotlandYard,”Isaid.
Afterthatforaminutetherewasuttersilence.Theoldmanwasstaringathisplateandfumblingwithanut,theverymodelofinnocentbewilderment.
Thentheplumponespokeup.Hestammeredalittle,likeamanpickinghiswords.
“Don’tgetflustered,uncle,”hesaid.
