Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 66: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

856 Mr. Furneaux, Europe would not now be bothered with Greece’s troubles.” Furneaux chuckled. ‘It is a positive delight to meet a man like you,” he beamed. ‘Ii friend Denasch is only half as well informed I shall have a most agreeable trip to Sleaford.” ‘So, then, you approve of my notion of meeting him at Birmingham?” “* Certainly, if you care to take the risk.” “ Risk? What risk?” = “Of hobnobbing with one who may be concerned in some way with Mr. Lanson’s death.” “ But, really, that is an astounding thing to say. With all his faults, Denasch would never mix himself with a set of assassins. He may be a bit of a rascal, but I assure you he is not a fool. Don’t you see? Un- less events take a turn which If, for one, cannot even bring myself to anticipate, this crime shuts and bolts the door which was opening for Greek independence.” “ Well, Denasch was arrested last night. He is subject to police surveillance now. He may be in jail under remand before sunset, or moonrise, whichever appeals to him most.” 6c But “Go on. is an unhappy trick of temperament in a detective.” “Well, I should have imagined, from what Mr. Lanson himself said to me last night—do you know we had a telephene conversation at ten fifteen? That there were other persons in Sleaford yesterday who, no matter how innocent of wrongdoing they may be, might have come under police suspicion far more prominently than Denasch?”’ : ‘Who told you this morning at half past two that Mr. Felix Glen was his companion in misfortune a few hours earlier?” “He did, though I am unwilling to bring Mr. Glen’s name into the matter at all.” “ Quite right. His actions were above- board throughout. You will find him in a position of some authority in the castle. In fact, owing to our roundabout route, lots of things will have happened there before we arrive. Had we gone to Derby by the Mid- I keep nothing back. That ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. : land we would have traveled with Mr. Has- sall, senior partner of Hassall, Son and Jen- kins—Mr. Lanson’s legal advisers in Eng- land.” Sevastopolo blanched again. It was not in human nature that he should withstand these repeated shocks and show no sign of their severity. “So soon!” was all he could gasp. “Yes. You have not yet sensed the true significance of Mr. Winter’s presence in Sleaford last evening.. He’s a tremendous fellow when thoroughly roused, and he was not only very wide-awake, but distinctly peeved when he spoke to me this morning at five o’clock. You see, I am letting cats out of bags every minute. The reason is that I should be sorry to find you barking up the wrong tree. By the way, have you included that American word ‘ peeve’ in your vocabulary? I love it. It expresses an exact shade of annoyance—a sort of per- plexed irritation verging on anger, as it were.” Sevastopolo’s complacency had vanished. He felt that the cat chasing simile was faulty. Now, had Furneaux spoken of a rat! Certainly the diminutive detective re- sembled a keen and aggressive fox terrier in some of his moods. Perhaps he actually had some notion of the kind at the back of his head when he made that peculiar re- mark, But it was worse than useless to remain silent. The Greek caught at two straws. ‘Yes, I agree with you as to ‘ peeve,’ and ‘wise up,’ and their like,” he said. ‘‘ They cover so much ground in a syllable. But, I don’t quite ‘ get,’ to use another Ameri- canism, what Mr. Hassall’s presence in Slea- ford has to do with Mr. Felix Glen’s as- sumption of authority, as you put it.” ‘“‘T didn’t mention any ‘ assumption ’ on his part. I was only alluding to the posi- tion he holds necessarily as a trustee of Mr. Lanson’s will.” Then Sevastopolo threw up his hands once more, literally as well as metaphori- cally. “Can you—are you—is that statement actually correct?” he gurgled. “T am told so.” “ But—he is an artist!” COMiCcloo SCO) in