“I’m blessed if I know what to think! By the way, reverting to Jefferson, you remember when I found those ashes in the hearth and suggested that they might be the remains of those mysterious private documents Jefferson had been hinting about? Well, did it appear to you that he looked uncommonly relieved for the moment?”
Alec reflected. “I don’t think I was looking at him just then.”
“Well, I was. And I made the suggestion on purpose, to see how he’d take it. I’d take my oath that the idea appealed to him immensely. Now why? And what’s he got to do with Mr. Stanworth’s private papers?”
“But look here, you know,” said Alec slowly, “if he really was hiding something, as you seem to think, surely he wouldn’t go and give the whole show away by telling us straight out like that what sort of thing it is that he’s hiding? I mean, if he really is hiding something he’d mention papers to put us off the scent, wouldn’t he? Really, I mean, it would be something quite different. What I mean is——”
“It’s all right. I’m beginning to get an idea of what you mean,” said Roger kindly. “But seriously, Alec, that’s rather an idea of yours. After all, Jefferson isn’t the man to give himself away, is he?”
“No,” said Alec earnestly. “You see, what I mean is——”
“Hullo!” Roger interrupted rudely. “There’s the inspector going down the drive. And without Jefferson, by all that’s lucky! Let’s cut after him and ask him if he’s brought anything else to the surface.” And without waiting for a reply he set off at a run in the wake of the retreating inspector.
The latter, hearing their footsteps on the gravel, turned round to wait for them.
“Well, sir?” he said with a smile. “Remembered something else to tell me?”
Roger dropped into a walk. “No; but I was wondering whether you had anything to tell me. Found anything more out?”