“He went out on the porch,” said Crull. “Guess he wanted some fresh air.”
The men all appeared quite indifferent to Quinn’s action. Harry was tempted to join Quinn on the porch; but he was anxious to hear the expected radio message. So he waited; but the result was disappointing. The program that came over the air carried no key words.
Harry went out on the porch. He found Quinn there, and talked with him for a while. The man seemed rather morose and indifferent. He acted as though something was troubling him.
Harry sought, by artful questioning, to lead the conversation to the source of his annoyance; but this was without success.
Returning to the living room, Harry found the men still occupied as before. He picked up a book and began to read. But his mind was not upon the printed pages. Instead, he was seeking some solution to the riddle that he believed existed here.
* * *
He knew that his own position was none too well established. He was a guest through the request of Garret Buckman.
He must, therefore, act in a way that would not excite the suspicion of the normal members of the group — Windsor, Buckman, and Harper.
Yet he must centralize on Quinn and Crull. There were also servants in the house — three of them — all men.
Louie was the cook; he was a jolly fellow, who seldom left his kitchen. Parker was the handy man. He attended to everything about the place.