“All that I heard him say was English,” answered “Pinkie.” “Yes,” she proceeded, stressing her remarks with nods of the head, “I remember now. What you have just said has brought it back to me. Miss Sheila spoke to him in Hindustani, but it was in the wrong dialect or something. He couldn’t get on with it. She said afterwards that he came from a different part of the country—belonged to a different tribe or something. That’s why they couldn’t make each other understand.”
Anthony’s reply held a trace of sternness. “Good-bye, Miss Kerr,” he said. “You’ve been able to clear up something in my mind that’s been troubling me—no doubt we shall meet again.”
The second of Mr. Bathurst’s morning calls to which he had made reference in his conversation with Alexis was of a somewhat extraordinary nature. The Editor of the “Westhampton and Chellingborough Independent” contemplated somewhat ungraciously the visiting-card that had been presented to him by a singularly dirty and ink-stained office-boy, but after a minute or two’s thought decided that his time was not too fully occupied to see the gentleman described thereon.
“Tell Mr. Bathurst we can give him ten minutes, Fred,” he remarked editorially. “But not a minute more.”
Mr. Bathurst stated his business. As usual the introduction of the name of the Crown Prince of Clorania had a magical effect and worked wonders towards the establishment of a perfectly amicable atmosphere.
“I think I can manage that,” said the Editor. “Let me see now—the affair took place in the early part of last year—I think that was the time, wasn’t it?”
“It was,” confirmed Mr. Bathurst, “February was the month—to be exact. I can’t give you any nearer than that.”
“Ah—February! Now what is it—er—precisely that you want to do—to read all our reports and comments on the case, did you say?” He toyed with the paper-knife that lay on the desk in front of him.
Mr. Bathurst acquiesced. “If you would be so good that is what I should like to do.”
“I may take it, I hope, that any news of interest—any special feature of the case that you are investigating—should it materialise—would be placed in the way of the ‘Independent’ before any of its—er—contemporaries?”