“No, it isn't—worse luck!” stormed the colonel. “I never saw such a case. The diamond cross mystery was nothing like it.”
“But I thought, Colonel, sah, dat de mo' of a puzzle it were, de bettah yo' laiked it!” ventured Shag.
Colonel Ashley tried to repress a smile.
“Get to bed, you black rascal!” he said with an affectionate pat on Shag's back. “Get to bed! What are you staying up so late for, anyhow?”
“To gib yo' a message, Colonel, sah,” answered Shag. “Miss Viola done say I was t' wait up, an', when yo' come in, t' tell yo' dat she wants t' see you.”
“Oh, all right. Where is she?”
“In de liberry, Colonel, sah!”
The detective made his way through the dimly-lighted hall, and, on tapping at the library door, was bidden by Viola to enter.
“Still up?” he asked. “It was time for you to be asleep long ago if you want your eyes to keep as bright as they always are.”
“They don't feel very bright,” she answered, with a little laugh. “They seem to be full of sticks. But I wanted to ask you something—to consult with you—and I didn't want to go to sleep without doing it. I want you to read these,” and she spread out before him the letters she had found hidden in the drawer of the safe.