“Hardly. It is the trial trip of the new United States cruiser America, probably the fastest vessel of any size afloat in the world to-day.”
“That will be delightful. You must tell me all about it when you return. Your description will be much more interesting, I am sure, than the newspaper accounts.”
“Fully as interesting as the Hemisphere’s story, perhaps. Good-night, Miss Hathaway. Oh, by the way, Mr. Felton,” as Louise trips upstairs, “did you know that Roger Hathaway’s revolver has been found?”
Ashley asks the question in the most casual of tones, but his keen eyes are riveted on the elder man’s face. The result is not wholly what the questioner expected. Mr. Felton simply stares at Ashley and repeats: “Hathaway’s revolver found? Where? When?”
“It was fished out of Wild River about opposite the cemetery a day or two ago. But perhaps it was after you had started for New York. Odd, is it not, that the weapon with which the crime was perhaps committed should be brought to light within a stone’s throw of the grave of the murdered man? But pardon me. Perhaps, I have awakened painful reflections; so I will say no more. Good-night.”
Cyrus Felton stands like a stone upon the threshold to the reading-room for fully a minute after Ashley has left the hotel. Then he turns and goes slowly upstairs to his room.
When Ashley reaches the Garden he hunts up Barker and rescues that amiable gentleman from the importunities of a brace of masks who are gayly informing him that they are “just beginning to like him.” Ashley drags him away and asks: “Have you located the gentry for whom you were looking to-night?”
“No, but I have chanced upon one or two choice incidents in society life which the chief may find useful some day.”
“Good. Let me in early when they materialize. Now, old chap, if you will kill time here for half an hour or so, until I finish my story, I’ll join you.”
Ashley hunts up an out-of-the-way corner and the work is soon finished and dispatched by a district messenger boy. Then the newspaper man returns to the wine-room, but Barker has strayed.