"You are sure this was the place?" asked the officer.
"So my man told me," rejoined Mortlake. "You know, I relied absolutely on
his word for this thing, all the way through. I, myself, know nothing of
it."
He emphasized these last words, as if he wished them to stick in his
hearer's memory.
Suddenly, however, a new sound struck into the silence.
It was a heavy footstep, gradually drawing closer. Round the dark corner
of the road came a tall form in a long coat and with a slouch hat pulled
down well over its eyes.
Lieutenant Bradbury could have groaned. Mortlake nudged him triumphantly.
"Well," he said, "I guess part of it's true, anyhow."
"I'm afraid so," breathed the officer.
"I thought so. Hey, hey, I thought so," chuckled old Harding rustily.
The tall figure came on until it was almost opposite the bushes where the
three hidden onlookers were concealed. It looked about in some impatience,
tapping one of its feet querulously. Then it fell to pacing up and down.
"Evidently the boy is late," thought the lieutenant. And then a glad guess
shot through his mind. "Perhaps the boy has thought better of it."
But even as he felt a great sense of relief at this supposition, there
came a low whistle from farther down the road. It was answered by the
figure opposite the hidden party, which instantly stopped its pacing to
and fro.
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