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The Secret Adversary, a fiction by Agatha Christie |
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Chapter XX - Too Late |
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_ IN the street they held an informal council of war. Sir James had drawn a watch from his pocket. "The boat train to Holyhead stops at Chester at 12.14. If you start at once I think you can catch the connection." Tommy looked up, puzzled. "Is there any need to hurry, sir? To-day is only the 24th." "I guess it's always well to get up early in the morning," said A little frown had settled on Sir James's brow. "I wish I could come with you. I am due to speak at a meeting at The reluctance in his tone was very evident. It was clear, on "I guess there's nothing complicated about this deal," he "I hope so," said Sir James. "Sure thing. What else could it be?" "You are still young, Mr. Hersheimmer. At my age you will The gravity of his tone impressed Tommy, but had little effect "You think Mr. Brown might come along and take a hand? If he The lawyer shrugged his shoulders. "There was nobody to put Mr. Brown wise to the fact that Mrs. Julius was silenced for once, and Sir James added on a lighter "I only want to put you on your guard. Good-bye, and good luck. Ten minutes later the two young men were seated in a first-class For a long time neither of them spoke. When at length Julius "Say," he observed thoughtfully, "did you ever make a darned fool Tommy, after a moment's astonishment, searched his mind. "Can't say I have," he replied at last. "Not that I can "Because for the last two months I've been making a sentimental "Oh!" said Tommy, amazed. Julius uncrossed his legs brusquely and continued: "Just shows what an almighty fool a man can make of himself! One Feeling more tongue-tied than ever, Tommy ejaculated "Oh!" again. "No disparagement to Jane, mind you," continued the other. "She's "I thought her a very good-looking girl," said Tommy, finding his "Sure she is. But she's not like her photo one bit. At least I "It must be," said Tommy coldly, "if you can come over here in Julius had the grace to look discomposed. "Well, you see, I'd got a sort of tired feeling that I'd never Tommy flushed. "Well, I'm damned! If that's----" Julius hastened to interrupt. "Say now, don't be hasty. I don't mean what you mean. I take it "If you ask me," said Tommy, "we're all too damned businesslike "Cool down, son. Don't get so heated." "I feel heated," said Tommy. Julius looked at him and judged it wise to say no more. However, Tommy had plenty of time to cool down before they After consultation, and with the aid of a road map, they were A moment later the taxi was slowly chugging back to Holyhead. "It's the right one, I suppose?" asked Tommy doubtfully. "There "Sure it is. Look at the gorse. Remember what Jane said?" Tommy looked at the swelling hedges of golden blossom which They went down in single file, Julius leading. Twice Tommy "What is it?" "I don't know. I've got the wind up somehow. Keep fancying "Can't be," said Julius positively. "We'd see him." Tommy had to admit that this was true. Nevertheless, his sense "I rather wish that fellow would come along," said Julius. He "Do you always carry it--him--with you?" inquired Tommy with "Most always. I guess you never know what might turn up." Tommy kept a respectful silence. He was impressed by little The path was now running along the side of the cliff, parallel to "What's up?" he inquired. "Look there. If that doesn't beat the band!" Tommy looked. Standing out half obstructing the path was a huge "Well," said Tommy, refusing to share Julius's emotion, "it's Julius looked at him sadly and shook his head. "British phlegm! Sure we expected it--but it kind of rattles me, Tommy, whose calm was, perhaps, more assumed than natural, moved "Push on. What about the hole?" They scanned the cliff-side narrowly. Tommy heard himself saying "The gorse won't be there after all these years." And Julius replied solemnly: "I guess you're right." Tommy suddenly pointed with a shaking hand. "What about that crevice there?" Julius replied in an awestricken voice: "That's it--for sure." They looked at each other. "When I was in France," said Tommy reminiscently, "whenever my He looked at the rock with a kind of agonized passion. "Damn it!" he cried. "It's impossible! Five years! Think of Indeed, he felt it to be impossible--more, perhaps, because he Julius looked at him with a widening smile. "I guess you're rattled now all right," he drawled with some The unbelievable had happened. Tommy held the precious packet "It's queer," he murmured idly, "you'd think the stitches would They cut them carefully and ripped away the oilskin. Inside was "A dummy?" hazarded Julius. "Was Danvers just a decoy?" Tommy shook his head. That solution did not satisfy him. "I've got it! SYMPATHETIC INK!" "You think so?" "Worth trying anyhow. Heat usually does the trick. Get some In a few minutes the little fire of twigs and leaves was blazing Suddenly Julius grasped his arm, and pointed to where characters "Gee whiz! You've got it! Say, that idea of yours was great. It Tommy held the paper in position some minutes longer until he Across the sheet in neat brown printing ran the words: WITH THE |