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Carless, Mr. Driver, and their clerk, Mr. Portlethwaite, and on the fact that I lost this finger through a shooting accident when I was a boy, at Ellingham. Curiously," he added with another smile, "these things don't seem to have much weight. But no! I had no papers when I landed here." "How did they come into your possession, then?" asked Mr. Millington-Bywater.
"There!" he exclaimed. "What did I tell you? Coincidence nothing but coincidence!" But Portlethwaite shook his head. "Why not say design, Mr. Carless?" he said meaningly. "Why not say design? If this man, or the people who are behind him, knew that the real Lord Marketstoke had a finger missing, what easier in view of the stake they're playing for than to remove one of this man's fingers?
Design, sir, design. All part of the scheme!" The elderly clerk's listeners looked at each other. "I'll tell you what it is!" exclaimed Mr. Pawle with sudden emphasis. "The more we see and hear of this affair, the more I'm convinced that it is, as Portlethwaite says, a conspiracy.
"Our governor is a pretty cute and smart sort, and he's vastly interested in this Miss Wickham; so Portlethwaite and he'll be on their way down here now, hot foot; and with help, too, if he thinks she's in any danger. Now, he can go straight to that door and demand to see her, and " "Why can't we?" interrupted Perkwite. "I'd do it! Lord, man, she may be in real peril "
Did you notice that he was not really affronted by your remark? Not he! His personal dignity wasn't ruffled a bit. He was taken aback! He's gone off to consult. Carless, you ought to have that man carefully shadowed, to see where and to whom he goes." "Good idea!" muttered Mr. Driver. "We might see to that." "I can put a splendid man on to him, at once, Mr. Carless," remarked Portlethwaite.
The elderly clerk smiled more assuredly than before. Then he looked significantly at a corner of the room, and Mr. Carless took the hint, and rising from his chair, went aside with him. Portlethwaite whispered something in his employer's ear, and Carless suddenly laughed and nodded. "To be sure to be sure I remember now!" he said aloud. "Thank you, Portlethwaite: that's all.
Unknown to those who had taken part in the conference at Viner's house, unknown even to Carless, who in the multiplicity of his engagements, had forgotten the instructions which he had given on the previous afternoon to Portlethwaite, a strict watch was being kept on the man around whom all the events of that morning had centred.
Now, that small but very important fact is most likely not known to Methley and Woodlesford's client but it's known to Driver and to Portlethwaite and to me, and now to all of you. If this man comes here look at his right hand! If he possesses his full complement of fingers, well " Mr. Carless ended with a significant grimace, and Mr.
Obtained a list of cutthroats and murderers, whose names are as follows on the list: Gatewood, Rutherford, Grimberry, Cain, Young, Portlethwaite, etc. This chain of villains extended for eighty miles through all the dreary and lonesome prairies.
And in the silence which followed, Viner saw that the eyes of Driver, Carless, Pawle and Portlethwaite were all steadily directed on the claimant's right hand he himself turned to it, too, with no small interest. The next instant he was conscious that an atmosphere of astonishment and surprise had been set up in that room. For the middle finger of the man's right hand was missing!
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