"I wanted to eat my dinner comfortably," replied the detective, putting
beard and moustache in his pocket, when all the company, except the
dominie who knew, cried out, "it's Mr. Nash."
"To think of you deceiving me," exclaimed Mr. Carruthers, "and me a
justice of the peace. I've a thocht to bring you up for conspiracy."
"There can be no conspiracy without at least two persons," answered the
detective.
"But, man, you are two persons, that I've known off and on as Chisholm
and Nash."
"When he was one of my masters," put in the dominie, "his name was
Dowling."
"And this morning," remarked the man of aliases, with a smile, "I was
Miss Du Plessis or Martha Baggs, so Rawdon will have hard work to find
the lady of his affections."
At this juncture Coristine and his fair companions entered, and, while
the young Marjorie renewed her acquaintance, Wilkinson was gravely
introduced to one of his own teachers, to the no little amusement of the
lady herself, of the lawyer, and of the company generally who were in
the secret. Miss Carmichael explained that Mr. Perrowne had declined to
come to dinner, but would look in later in the day when Cecile came
home; whereat many smiled, and the dominie frowned heavily.
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