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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.

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