Знак чотирьох
III. In Quest of a Solution
Wehadhardlyreachedthethirdpillar,whichwasourrendezvous,beforeasmall,dark,briskmaninthedressofacoachmanaccostedus.
“AreyouthepartieswhocomewithMissMorstan?”heasked.
“IamMissMorstan,andthesetwogentlemenaremyfriends,”saidshe.
Hebentapairofwonderfullypenetratingandquestioningeyesuponus.“Youwillexcuseme,miss,”hesaidwithacertaindoggedmanner,“butIwastoaskyoutogivemeyourwordthatneitherofyourcompanionsisapolice-officer.”
“Igiveyoumywordonthat,”sheanswered.
Hegaveashrillwhistle,onwhichastreetArabledacrossafour-wheelerandopenedthedoor.Themanwhohadaddressedusmountedtothebox,whilewetookourplacesinside.Wehadhardlydonesobeforethedriverwhippeduphishorse,andweplungedawayatafuriouspacethroughthefoggystreets.
Thesituationwasacuriousone.Weweredrivingtoanunknownplace,onanunknownerrand.Yetourinvitationwaseitheracompletehoax,—whichwasaninconceivablehypothesis,—orelsewehadgoodreasontothinkthatimportantissuesmighthanguponourjourney.MissMorstan’sdemeanorwasasresoluteandcollectedasever.IendeavoredtocheerandamuseherbyreminiscencesofmyadventuresinAfghanistan;but,totellthetruth,Iwasmyselfsoexcitedatoursituationandsocuriousastoourdestinationthatmystorieswereslightlyinvolved.TothisdayshedeclaresthatItoldheronemovinganecdoteastohowamusketlookedintomytentatthedeadofnight,andhowIfiredadouble-barrelledtigercubatit.
