Fergus Hume

“ Mrs. Webb brought this in with a message that Miss More had left the inn an hour earlier to visit the bungalow, and desired Mr. Hustings to follow. Irritated by his lethargy, Dick dispatched a hurried meal and obeyed. His long strides soon took him through the sunken lane, up to the bungalow, and into the neat garden. The door of the house stood wide open, so the young man had no hesitation in entering forthwith. Aileen was in the house, and as Aileen’s lover he did not intend to stand upon ceremony. ”

“ Chane, and the suspicions of Inspector Trant—“who is searching that bungalow,” ended Hustings, shaking his head doubtfully, “and if he finds nothing we’re up a tree.”
“I don't see that,” expostulated Aileen, all ears and eyes, “Jimmy may come back with news.”
“It’s a forlorn hope.”
“No! I agree with you, Dick, that the boy knows more than he will admit. He wants to prove his worth, so as to realize his ambition to become a detective, and will move heaven and earth to get at the truth.”
“Heaven and earth are not easily moved,” said Dick, cynically. ”

“ There!” he dried her eyes with his pocket-handkerchief, and rose quickly as the temptation to kiss her assailed him. “You need food and rest, Aileen. I’ll tell Mrs. Webb to hurry up dinner, and——”
“Dinner! As if I could eat anything, with Edith—Edith——” she broke down.
“You must. Do be sensible!” and he moved towards the door.
“Now you’re leaving me, just as you left me at Fryfeld,” sobbed Aileen, who was sufficiently unstrung to be all the woman.
“My dear,” said Dick, desperately, and keeping well away from this attractive, exasperating, delightful, annoying angel, “I’m only a man.” ”

“ And should have done, my dear, to look after you.”
“My father never cared for me,” said Aileen, sadly.
“Oh, you must not say that,” he protested, “your father is a scientist, you know, thinking much, speaking little. Such a man rarely reveals his innermost feelings. I have not seen him for close upon twenty years. How old are you?”
“Twenty-one!”
Trant nodded. “It must be quite twenty years then, since I nursed you on my knee. I remember your father quite clearly. ”

“ You have me now, and I’ll love you for ever and ever and ever. If you weren’t so thorny a rose I would show you how much I do love you,” he half arose.
Aileen laughed and signed that he should remain where he was. “Pleasure comes after work, you silly boy. Don’t think I am not longing as much as you are for the golden hour, when all will be sunshine. I am starving for love; all my life I have wanted love. Roddy was very kind, but I was much younger than he was and he took little notice of me. Besides he was in love with Edith. As to father—he was always freezingly polite ”

“ Trant may find something incriminating in the bungalow if he searches it thoroughly.”
“Oh, he’s bound to search it with a tooth-comb,” said Dick, confidently, “and he’ll come along later to tell me the result of his pryings and pokings.”
Aileen did not reply for a second or so, “I wish my father were here,” she said, suddenly, “he is so clever, that he would help us greatly.”
“I also wish he were here,” commented Hustings, quickly, “I don’t think very highly of your father, dear. If he was a real father he would not leave you to face all these troubles alone. ”

“ Trant shook his head, doubtfully.
“I can’t be sure of anything. Is Jimmy back?”
“Not a sign of him. However, since you suggested the other string to my bow, I am communicating with Scotland Yard with regard to watching Old Wung’s opium den. Wu Ti may be found there. It is a difficult case, Mr. Hustings, and the further we go into it the more difficult it becomes,” the Inspector finished with a weary sigh and departed on his ghost-hunt.
Dick returned to find Aileen making ready to retire and remonstrated, “Oh don’t go. I want to talk.” ”

“ Your suggestion to the Inspector that the place should be searched is a good one. The man is sure to be caught there, and then we may learn what he and Mrs. Jerr have to do with the matter.”
“They have nothing to do with it, according to Mr. Chane.” ”