"No, I didn't. How could I, when with the rest I was staring at the airships going away. The gentleman was staring also, I think. But of course I didn't take much notice of him, as he was a stranger to me."
"I saw him fall," put in a rough man, something like a navvy; "he was crushed up against me in the crowd, and I felt him tumbling. I heard him gurgle, too, and heard this young lady cry out. Then I saw him on the ground, and pushed back the folk, saying there was a cove dying. But I didn't think it was murder," ended the man, shuddering. "Nor did I," chimed in the slim girl. "I fancied it was a fit. I'm sure we were all so crushed up with the lot of people, that I shouldn't have been surprised if he had taken a fit." This was all that could be learned, and the Inspector took the names and addresses of the two who had spoken. There were other people who had noted the man on the ground, but these were the sole ones to see the fall. They had, as it were, almost caught the assassin red-handed. But it was impossible to say who was guilty, for the throng was so dense and every one's attention had been so earnestly fixed skyward on the airships that no one could say who had struck down the unfortunate gentleman. The Inspector was much impressed when he learned the identity of the dead man. Once or twice he had received official letters from Durwin, but he had never set eyes on him until he beheld him dead. But for Laurance he would not have known who he was, and therefore questioned that young gentleman closely when the body was carried by four policemen off the ground to the nearest place where it could be placed under shelter. "And what about this fly?" asked the Inspector, who had heard of the question from the policeman who Laurance had first addressed. "Don't you remember the case of Sir Charles Moon?"
"Yes. The woman who killed him was never discovered. I remember about the fly, and also I remember the letters written to that newspaper of yours."
"I wrote the first letter that brought forth the correspondence," said Freddy quickly. "Sir Charles had some idea that a gang of criminals was in existence, and invited Mr. Durwin to his house to explain. Before Mr. Durwin arrived Sir Charles was murdered. Since then he had been looking into the matter, and I believe that he also learned too much."
"You think that this gang you mention had him put out of the way?"
"Yes, I do, and that is why I asked if there was a fly on him. It's the trade-mark of these devils, I fancy."
"Well, there didn't appear to be any fly on him," said the Inspector in an uneasy tone. "All the same, I think your idea is right. Moon was murdered because he knew too much, and Mr. Durwin has been got out of the way for the same reason; at least I think so. However, we shall learn more between this and the inquest. You will attend, Mr. Laurance?"
"Of course. I am only too anxious to find out all I can about this dangerous gang. It must be broken up."
"The breaking up will be attended with considerable danger," said the Inspector in a very dry tone. Then he noted Freddy's address and let him go. Laurance returned to the office of The Moment and hastily wrote his description of the start for the London to York race, after which he saw the editor and related what he knew about the death of Durwin. Permitted to write the article dealing with the subject, Laurance gave a concise account, and although he did not say too much, yet hinted very plainly that the death of the Scotland Yard official was connected indirectly with the murder of Sir Charles Moon. Remembering that Penn was now Lord Curberry's secretary, and that Lord Curberry's house was near the aviation ground, Freddy wondered if Penn had been amidst the crowd. Dan could have told him that he had been, but, at present, Laurance did not know this. However, he had a shrewd idea that as Penn was connected with one murder, he was probably connected with the other. Then Freddy cursed himself for not having observed if there was any special perfume hanging about the dead man's clothes. As he did not know the particular smell of the Sumatra scent he could not say if it was the one Dan had traced to Mrs. Jarsell, but if there was any scent at all, it was worth while looking into the matter. To repair his negligence he finished writing the article--which was very short--and then started for Blackheath to view the corpse again. As he was leaving the office of the paper a telegram was put into his hand. It proved to be from Dan, and had been sent from Bedford. "Had an accident," ran the wire, "rudder broke. No bones broken, but shaken by fall. I return this evening to town and will call. Halliday."
"Now I wonder," murmured Laurance, when he read the telegram, "if that machine was tampered with, after all. If so, the gang must be getting scared. First Moon, then Durwin, now an attempt on Dan's life. By Jove, I'll be the next." The idea was by no means a pleasant one.