Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 18, 2025
With all its reputation for efficiency and astuteness the British Secret Service entrusted its mysteries to an antiquated contraption such as this! Humming a blithe little air, Blensop moved into Lanyard's field of vision and stopped between him and the safe, deftly pigeonholing therein the docketed papers and Mrs. Arden's jewels.
In the same instant Lanyard slipped noiselessly from behind the portiere, and dropped into that capacious wing chair which Blensop had thoughtfully placed for him some time since. Thus seated, making himself as small and still as possible, he was wholly concealed from all other occupants of the library but Blensop; and even this last was little likely to discover him. He did not.
"I was not," Lanyard replied with disarming good humour. "I'm afraid that is something much too important and confidential to reveal even to Colonel Stanistreet's secretary, if you don't mind my saying so." Mr. Blensop did mind, and betrayed vexation with an impatient little gesture which caused the card to fly from his fingers and fall face uppermost on the table.
"Ask her to come in, please." The footman retired. "Howson is resting easily, Dr. Apthorp reports," Blensop added, going back to the safe. "Has Stone turned up anything of interest, sir?" "Footprints," Stanistreet replied with a snort of moderate impatience. "He's quite upset since I've informed him the man who made them is " "Good God!"
"Between ten and twelve thousand dollars, sir." "Intuition, monsieur, is an indispensable item in the equipment of a successful chevalier d'Industrie. So, at least, the good novelists tell us...." "Open the safe, Blensop, and fetch me ten thousand dollars." "Very good, sir." "I presume you won't object to satisfying me that you really have this document, before I pay you your price."
Stepping delicately, Blensop moved toward the end of the room. Again Lanyard was confronted with the alternatives of incontinent flight or attempting to remain undetected through the adoption of an expedient of the most desperate audacity.
"George would insist on hurrying home," the young wife complained. "Frightfully tiresome. We were so comfy at the Ritz, too...." "The Crystal Room?" Dissembled envy poisoned Blensop's accents. "Frightfully interestin' everybody was there. I did so want to dance missed you, Arthur." "I say, you didn't, did you, really?" "Poor Mr. Blensop!" Mrs. Arden interjected with just a hint of malice.
Moreover, just before you came in, that traitor missed his pen, and his consternation betrayed him beyond more doubt to one whose distrust was already astir. As for the other, it was true: Blensop did write down the combination on this pad, using a pencil with a hard lead; the marks are very plain." "But for whose use?" "Ekstrom Anderson was here last night, and saw Blensop alone.
Now this mirrored darkly to the adventurer a somewhat distorted vision of Blensop standing over the desk, seemingly employed in no more amusing occupation than filling his fountain-pen. But undoubtedly he was in the highest spirits; for the lilt of his humming rose sweet and clear and ever louder.
Blensop, who stood beneath a portrait on the wall between the chimney-piece and the windows, his attitude incurably graceful, a hand on the switch controlling the picture-light. Apparently he had just finished speaking, for he paused, looking toward his guest with a quiet and intimate smile as he turned off the light. "And that's all there is to it," he declared, moving back to the table.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking