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It was difficult to reconcile the detective's present stand-off manner with his earlier camaradie, to say nothing of the seemingly friendly hint conveyed by the signal to pass no comment on Ingerman's interruption. Rather sick at heart, Grant went out into the sunshine. He was snap-shotted a dozen times by press photographers.
Grant, like most members of the general public, held the vague belief that Government officials do very little work. Still, one might reasonably expect better things from the institution which was supposed to safeguard law-abiding citizens. Calm analysis of Ingerman's nebulous threats had revealed a hostile force not to be despised.
He felt that, for once, the general opinion was with him, and drove the point home. "Hobson the local joiner and undertaker" he explained for Mr. Franklin's benefit "came this morning to borrow a couple of horses for the job. It's to be done in style 'no expense spared' was Mr. Ingerman's order and the poor thing is in her coffin now while Grant " He stopped. Mr. Siddle coughed.
Miss Melhuish herself told me that you and she had separated by mutual consent." "Allow me to emulate your candor. The actual fact is that you weaned my wife's affections from me." "That is a downright lie," said Grant coolly. Ingerman's peculiar temperament permitted him to treat this grave insult far more lightly than Grant's harmless, if irritating, reference to the police.
"Look here, Hobbs, just keep Doris Martin's name out of it!" shouted Elkin, smiting the table with his fist till the glasses danced. "Gentlemen!" protested Siddle gently. "It's all dashed fine, but I'm not " blustered Elkin. He yielded to Ingerman's outstretched hand. "I seem to have brought discord into a friendly gathering," came the mournful comment. "Such was far from being my intent.
"You prefer that I should drag out a statement piecemeal rather than receive it en bloc?" "Put it that way, if you like." "I shall even enjoy it. To clear the ground, are you the Isidor G. Ingerman who exploited the A1 Mine in Abyssinia?" Ingerman's finger-tips whitened under a sudden pressure, but his voice remained calm. "An unfortunate episode," he said.
Tell him yourself afterwards, if you like." In the quiet street the detective suddenly linked arms with his companion. Probably he smiled sardonically when he felt a telltale quiver run through Ingerman's lanky frame. "You've brought down Norris, I see?" he began. "Yes." "Meaning to make things hot for Grant tomorrow?" "Meaning to give justice the materials " "Cut the cackle, Isidor.
He was not equal to any more verbal fire-works that evening. So he lit a pipe, and reviewed Ingerman's well-rounded periods very carefully, even taking the precaution to jot down exact, phrases. He analyzed them, and saw that they were capable of two readings. Of course, it could not be otherwise. The plausible rascal must have conned them over until this essential was secured.
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