"Come," he declared, "I like that. Why, I have never seen the girl before in my life, or anyone like her. Where do I come in, I should like to know?"
"It was you," I said, "who started me off to Charing Cross."
"You mean to say that you picked her up there?" Mabane exclaimed.
"I will tell you the whole story," I answered. "She comes with the halo of tragedy about her. Listen!"
Then I told them of the things which had happened to me during the last few hours.
CHAPTER VI
I certainly could not complain of any lack of interest on the part of my auditors. They listened to every word of my story with rapt attention. When I had finished they were both silent for several moments. Mabane eyed me curiously. I think that at first he scarcely knew whether to believe me altogether serious.
"The man who was with the girl," Arthur asked at last—"this Major Delahaye, or whatever his name was—is he dead?"
"He was alive two hours ago," I answered.