THE AMAZEMENT OP ALAN THOROLD
Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph. She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
"He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town. Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train. He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away. I'm that glad he's come back I can't tell!" cried Mrs. Marry joyfully, "for he do pay most reg'lar, and gives not a bit of trouble, innocent babe that he is!" and having imparted her news, she hurried on down the lane.
The two men stood looking at one another.
"Brown back again!" said Alan. "Now we shall know the truth."
"If he knows it," said Blair dryly--he was less excited than his companion--"but I doubt if we shall learn much from him, Mr. Thorold. If he had anything to do with the murder, he would not have come back."
"But he must have something to do with it, man! Have you forgotten that it was he who stole the key of the vault from my desk?"
"No," said Blair pointedly, "nor have I forgotten that he did not use the key. It was Joe Brill who opened the vault."
"Indeed! And where did Joe get the key? Not from Mr. Phelps, for he still has his key. Ha!" cried Alan suddenly, "did Joe get it from Brown?"
"No, he did not. The key was not used at all. There was a third key in existence, of which neither you nor Mr. Phelps were aware. Marlow had had it made to provide against the contingency which arose. He had always resolved to feign death, should Lestrange track him. So he kept the third key, and Joe used it on that night."