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But the spot where the body of Adelaide Melhuish was drawn ashore was visible, and the sight of it started a dim thesis in the policeman's mind which took definite shape during less than an hour's stroll. Thus, at four o'clock exactly, he was pulling the bell at The Hollies. Almost simultaneously, Mr.
I was roused at last. The word stabbed me. I repeated it in horrified query. "So I've found something to interest you at last!" said Miss Melhuish, in naive triumph. "Yes burglars! But don't speak so loud. It's supposed to be kept a great secret. I really oughtn't to tell you at all!" "But what is there to tell?" I whispered with satisfactory impatience. "You promise not to speak of it?"
"What the devil has this affair of ours got to do with you, Melhuish?" he asked. "Nothing whatever," I said. "You dragged me into it in the first instance by bringing me up here last night, but since then I haven't interfered one way or the other. What does affect me, however, is that you and your family have well insulted me, and for that you do owe me, at least, an explanation."
I knew by the raised tone of his voice he was speaking quite a third above his ordinary pitch that he was pleasantly excited by our interview with Anne: an excitement that he now wished either to conceal, or, if that were impossible, to attribute to another cause. "It occurs to me that there are one or two very puzzling points about that visit of ours, Melhuish," he began.
"Don't mind me, Mr. Grant. You must not keep anything back on my account. I'll try and come at four. But I may be very busy in the office. By the way, you ought to know. Miss Melhuish came here on Sunday evening. She arrived by the train from London. I happened to notice her as she passed in the Hare and Hounds 'bus.
Five minutes before the old, familiar Melhuish had undoubtedly been unpacking his bag in his old familiar way, and wondering how he had come to do all the queer things he unquestionably had been doing in the course of this amazing weekend. Now, the new Melhuish was uppermost again, speculating about the validity of his soul a subject that had certainly never concerned the other fellow, hitherto.
"But in that case Arthur must give way," I said. Anne was silent for a moment and then said in a horribly formal voice. "Am I to understand, Mr. Melhuish, that you are proposing to lend Arthur this money?" "On any terms he likes," I agreed warmly. "Why?" I could not mistake her intention. I knew that she expected me to say that it was for her sake.
Melhuish's face was gray in the candle-light as he heard the dislodged pebbles splash sullenly into the water, fathoms beneath. He had heard stories of the vagaries of the Thurstons of Crosbie, and it was most unpleasant to stand on the brink of eternity, in the grasp of one of them. Suddenly Geoffrey dropped his hands. "You need better nerves in your business, Melhuish," he said quietly.
"Your second effort is more successful, superintendent," he said dryly. "Miss Melhuish did urge me to obtain her freedom. It was, she thought, only a matter of money with Mr. Ingerman, and she would be given material for a divorce."
"Everything that is good and beautiful." "Is Grant a Lothario?" "Excellent chap. Quarter of an hour before the murder he was giving Doris a lesson in astronomy in the garden of The Hollies." "Never heard it called that before." "This time the statement happens to be strictly accurate." "Honest Injun?" "I'm sure of it. If anything, the death of Adelaide Melhuish cleared the scales off their eyes.
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