United States or Cameroon ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"You shall tell me all, Ling Chu," said Tarling. The man was now pacing the room with restless strides, his emotion betrayed only by the convulsive clutching and unclutching of his hands. "The Little Daffodil was very dear to me," he said.
There was just that close and musty smell which is peculiar to all buildings which have been shut up, even for a few days. But there was something else. Tarling sniffed and Whiteside sniffed. A dull, "burnt" smell, some pungent, "scorched" odour, which he recognised as the stale stench of exploded cordite. He went into the tiny dining-room; everything was neat, nothing displaced.
"There's nothing to be done but to leave the local police in charge and get back to London," said Tarling when the inspection was concluded. "And arrest Milburgh," suggested Whiteside. "Do you accept Ling Chu's theory?" Tarling shook his head. "I am loath to reject it," he said, "because he is the most amazingly clever tracker.
My seat happened to be nearest the door, that's how I got into conversation with him. I thought he was off his nut." "Yes, yes, go on," said Tarling impatiently. "What happened then?" "Well, he went out," said the cabman, "and presently I heard a cab being cranked up. I thought it was one of the other drivers there were several cabs outside.
"In the statement I made to you, sir," he turned to Tarling, "I said that that pistol had not been found by me; and indeed, I professed the profoundest ignorance of its existence. I regret to confess to you that I was telling an untruth. I did find the pistol; I put it in my pocket and I took it home. It is probable that with that pistol Mr. Lyne was fatally shot." Tarling nodded.
"Why did he put you there?" asked Tarling. "Because, if there had been another person," said the girl, "he might have been detected. He knew that any inquiries into irregularities of accounts would come first to my department, and he wanted to have somebody there who would let him know.
Incidentally, it acquits our friend Milburgh, who looks like escaping conviction altogether." A week later two people were walking slowly along the downs overlooking the sea. They had walked for a mile in complete silence, then suddenly Odette Rider said: "I get very easily tired. Let us sit down." Tarling obediently sunk down by her side. "I read in the newspapers this morning, Mr.
Tarling must see him without delay. The inspector had control of all the official arrangements connected with the case, and it would be necessary to consult him before he could place detectives to watch the nursing home in Cavendish Place. He found a cab and drove to Cambours, which was in Soho, and was fortunate enough to discover Whiteside in the act of leaving.
"But not in the Chinese language," replied Tarling, "and, Ling Chu, you speak no English." "I speak a little, master," said Ling Chu, "and I have heard these things in the streets." Tarling did not answer immediately, and the Chinaman waited. "Ling Chu," he said after awhile, "this man came to Shanghai whilst we were there, and there was trouble-trouble.
"Master," he said, "may not the white-faced man who is now dead have brought such a thing from Shanghai? He was a tourist, and tourists buy these foolish souvenirs." Tarling nodded again. "That is possible," he said. "I have already thought that such might have been the case. Yet, why should he have this sign of the 'Cheerful Hearts' in his pocket on the night he was murdered?"
Word Of The Day