“Meanwhile Staveley took it into his head to work on his own by trying to blackmail the Fleetwoods. And you know what came of that. The rest of the gang thought they could kill two birds with one stone—at least, the gang minus Billingford, for really I don't think Billingford was much more than a tool.
“Now, inspector, how far does that square with all the confidences you extracted last night from that precious pair of scoundrels? Do I get a box of chocolates or only a clay pipe in this competition?”
The inspector made no attempt to suppress the admiration in his tone.
“It's wonderfully accurate, sir. You're right on every point of importance—even down to what happened in the war.”
“That's a relief,” the chief constable admitted with a laugh. “I was rather afraid that I'd
. . . Summed it so well that it came to far more
Than the witnesses ever had said!
And now I think I'll go back to the hotel and try to make my peace with the Fleetwoods. I like them, and I'd hate to leave a false impression of my character on their minds. Care to come along, squire?”
The End
Transcriber’s Note
This transcription follows the text of the Grosset & Dunlap edition published in 1928. The following alterations have been made to correct what are believed to be unambiguous printer's errors.