“I had a wire from Gordon. He has reached Inverness,” she mentioned.
“I’m sure he has,” said Bobbie drily. “And how is the old K Bus?”
“Poor old fellow!” she laughed quietly. “I think he’s almost reconciled to his very great loss. I shouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t develop into a war-hero, but for the moment he’s worrying what his good lady will say about the lost toe. From what he says I gather that she counts them every night.”
Bobbie grinned at the fire. There seemed something inexpressibly comic about a man losing a toe.
“Nothing has been heard of Double Dan?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“No, he seems to have disappeared. We know by the marks on the brickwork that he climbed the wall, and according to Mr. Superbus, he had a companion. In one way I’m glad he’s gone.”
Bobbie looked at the girl in astonishment.
“Glad?” he said. “Good lord, why?”
“For the poor girl’s sake.” Diana’s face was saddened. “You don’t know what she’s suffered at his hands, Bobbie. There’s a whole lot of good in Heloise. Of course she feels his going. That’s the curse of it—a woman never loses hope.”
“He must have got away pretty quickly,” said Bobbie. “I was down immediately after Dempsi, and though I searched the house and the courtyard at once, there was no sign of the devil.”