Thor avoided the house and Cousin Amy Dawes, going directly to the stable. By the time he had reached the door Uncle Sim was shutting it. In the light of a lantern standing in the snow the naked elms round about loomed weirdly. The greetings were brief.
"Hello, Uncle Sim!"
"Hello, Thor!"
Thor made an effort to reduce the emotional tremor of his voice to the required minimum. "Father's been telling me about Claude and Rosie Fay."
Uncle Sim turned the key in the lock with a loud grating. "Father had to do it, did he? Thought you might have caught on to that by yourself. One of the reasons I sent you into the Fay family."
"Did you know it then?—already?"
"Didn't know it. Couldn't help putting two and two together."
"You see everything, Uncle Sim."
Uncle Sim stooped to pick up the lantern. "See everything that's under my nose. Thought you could, too."
"This hasn't been under my nose."