Mr. Sorley gasped again. “The Indian,” he muttered nervously.
“Ah!” Alan gasped. “So you have seen him.”
“Seen him, seen him. What do you mean?”
“I mean that this Morad-Bakche came down to Belstone to ask after the peacock, and gained some information from Mrs. Verwin at the inn. She told him how it was suspected that the Grisons had stolen the ornament, and gave him the Bloomsbury address.”
“So Morad-Bakche is at Miss Grison’s,” muttered Sorley, sitting down; “that makes it more certain that she is up to no good in connection with me.”
“I thought it strange myself,” said Alan dryly.
Sorley did not reply, but looked hard at the carpet, “What do you think of this Indian?” he asked abruptly.
“I think he is a man who will stick at nothing to get the peacock.”
“Then he is after that?”
“You should know,” said Alan meaningly.