“We’ll say no more about it now, Bradley,” he said gravely. “I believe I am beginning to understand you more and more. You are a very singular lad—very.”
In spite of Teresa’s objections, Brad was left to look out for her, while Dick and the professor departed.
More than two hours later they returned. They had succeeded in reporting to the authorities, but their tale had been received with such apparent incredulity that both were vexed and angered. They had received a promise that the matter should be investigated. More than that, an official had accompanied them to the home of the Tortoras.
On arriving there they found the broken door had been restored and repaired, although not all the signs of the attack upon it had been hidden. There was no blood on the steps outside the door, nor on the stairs where Reggio had been stabbed by Mullura.
The body of the gondolier was not found.
The woman who owned the house explained that there had been carousing in the rooms the previous night, and that her tenants, apparently fearing ejectment, had vanished ere morning.
“But they left all their belongings here,” said Professor Gunn.
“No, no!” exclaimed the woman. “They took everything. Not one thing belonging to them did they leave.”
She persisted in this statement, and all the questions put to her did not confuse her. She also declared she had found no trace of blood on the stairs.
“Then why have those stairs been washed this morning?” demanded Dick.