“We’ve—found it, sir!”
The various groups merged and swept toward the aperture then shrank back again in horror. A hubbub of subdued cries came from among them but Eustace Goddard did not hear. His head had fallen forward, his knees sagged and doubled and he slumped, insensible, between the two who supported him. Instantly two plainclothes men were beside them and the unconscious man was carried into his house.
It was significant that neither McCarty, the inspector, nor the two officials had moved to assist him. Now as Orbit, after his first horrified recoil from the brusque announcement, turned and hurried into the house they followed, with Dennis bringing up the rear.
Aware of his doubtful status in the eyes of the strange officials he remained discreetly in the background and when he caught up to the little group they were standing in the rear hall before the open door leading to the cellar steps, with Orbit at their head and Ching Lee, André and Jean by the pantry.
Orbit was staring down into the brazen, orange glow of the electric lights in the cellar, listening to the shuffle of feet and the murmur of rough voices lowered in pity. Then there came a slow tread and two of the shovelers appeared bearing between them something slender and pathetically small wrapped in a heavy dark cloth.
As they ascended the stairs the servants and even the officials drew back but Orbit stood his ground with no sound or movement. Only his eyes followed the men with their burden as they mounted, passing him so closely that he could have reached out and touched them. Then he turned and passed upstairs to his sitting-room, followed by his uninvited guests.
The murmur outside rose to a swelling chorus of cries and then was abruptly shut out by the closing of the door. Orbit turned with both hands raised to his head and a shuddering groan came from his shaking lips.
“This is horrible!” he gasped. “Gentlemen, I shall ask you for an explanation, but not at this moment—I am too inexpressibly shocked—”
“The explaining will have to be done now, Orbit!” McCarty, after a glance at his superior, stepped forward. “’Twill not come from us, either!”
“What do you mean?” Orbit demanded. “Surely you are not mad enough to insinuate that I knew that the child was lying there? It is monstrous! Do you think I would not have let you know?”