E. Phillips Oppenheim

“ MR. CRAY sat quite still. Mr. Pomfret strolled up, followed by a waiter bearing on his silver tray four tall glasses filled with a cloudy, amber-colored liquid.
Mr. Cray mechanically accepted his glass but made no response. His attitude remained negative. Pomfret leaned a little toward him.
“Mr. Cray,” he said, “may I speak a plain word to you? You are one of those shrewd, amiable gentlemen of independent means who have a natural taste for adventure and who go muddling about the world, sometimes interfering a good deal in other people's business. ”

“ The law isn't always just. The criminal is sometimes a good fellow. Our friends here have been up against you a bit, but you haven't come to much harm. Anything you know that you don't care about, forget. Be a sportsman, and don't look as though you saw poison inside.”
Mina Hartopp's smile was irresistible.
“You are really such a dear, Mr. Cray,” she murmured. “You wont refuse to drink with me?”
Mr. Cray raised his glass. All four were solemnly clinked together. The tension had passed. As he set his glass down empty, a beatific smile parted Mr. Cray's lips. ”

“ Mr. Cray rejoined, “whether I know as much about either of you as any person with an ounce of common sense ought to.”
Major Hartopp played a wonderful approach and watched his ball run to the hole. Then he turned toward his companion, the flicker of a smile upon his lips.
“These flashes of superintelligence, Cray,” he declared, “convince me that you are really a great man. Do you realize that I am three up to bogey?”
That afternoon there was only one topic of conversation in the lounge and on the terrace of the Golf Hotel. ”

“ Mr. Cray exclaimed.
“Wave you any explanation to offer?” the detective asked.
“None,” was the bewildered reply. “The bag isn't mine, and I never saw the jewels before.”
The detective smiled faintly. It was obvious, however, that he too was puzzled.
“Mr. Cray,” he confessed, “I'll tell you frankly that I came into this room in the execution of my duty, but without the slightest suspicion that I should find here what I was in search of. I must send in my report to headquarters and reconstruct the case in my mind. In the meantime, I don't wish to do anything which might seem disagreeable. ”

“ He staggered to his feet, shook the dust from his clothes, reëntered the hotel by the back way and made his way to his room.
It was a very grim Mr. Cray, however, who strolled out on the terrace the following morning and made his way with a certain ominous deliberation to the little sunny corner where Mrs. Hartopp usually held her court. The corner was more crowded than usual, but the lady herself was absent. Mr. Homor was sitting there, however, surrounded by a little bevy of women. Mr. Homor, without a doubt, was a very changed man. ”

“ Hartopp's suite, to which various people who had professed themselves interested had been invited. Mrs. Hartopp herself was invisible, resting for the exertions of the evening. Major Hartopp, when spoken to upon the subject, was abrupt and almost rude. It was at this period of his stay at the Golf Hotel that Mr. Cray first came into contact with Mr. George Pomfret, a middle-aged quiet-looking man of studious habits and a marked propensity for solitude. He paused before the former's chair on the terrace. ”

“ Homor can look after himself.”
On the golf-links Mr. Cray found Hartopp practicing iron shots, and challenged him to a few holes.
“See here, Hartopp,” he said, as soon as they got started, “I kind of take an interest in you and your wife, although the Lord knows why. I guess it's because she seems sick. What's the game with Mr. Homor?”
Hartopp was a little irritable.
“My dear friend,” he replied, “there is no game at all. Mr. Homor is interested in spiritualism and has just lost his wife. Mina is able to console him.” ”

“ Mr. Cray exclaimed.
“She looked terribly ill,” his informant went on. “They had almost to carry her into the bus. Then you haven't heard about Mr. Homor, I suppose?”
“Not a thing.”
“His lawyer arrived from London last night. They say that he is much worse. The doctor announced this morning that he could not live through the day.”
“That's bad!” Mr. Cray murmured. “Anything else?”
“There's a great golf-match on this morning—the Costabel pro. and a visitor from Costabel, against Dell and Scott.”
“I'll stroll down and have a look,” Mr. Cray decided, lighting a cigar and turning away. ”

“ Without being able to trace any movement, the white blur of her face seemed to disappear An intense silence followed. The window of the bedroom on the other side of the door was softly pushed open. Almost immediately the door itself opened several inches. ”

“ Mr. Cray admitted. “I gave them a lift. If you make inquiries a your headquarters, you will find a little further information concerning the events of that evening.”
“My immediate business is to do with the jewelry,” was the cautious reply “Acting upon certain information, I may tell you that in the first place I have searched the suite and luggage of Major and Mrs. ”