“An assassin! The creature was an assassin! He killed Rodman simply by crushing him in his arms!”
Sir Henry's drawl lengthened.
“It's Lal Gupta,” he said, “the cleverest Oriental in the whole of Asia. The jewel-traders sent him to watch Rodman, and to kill him if he was ever able to get his formulae worked out. They must have paid him an incredible sum.”
“And that is why the creature attached himself to Rodman!” I said.
“Surely,” replied Sir Henry. “He brought that bronze Romulus carrying off the Sabine woman and staged the supernatural to work out his plan and to save his life. I knew the bronze as soon as I got my eye on it—old Franz Josef gave it as a present to Mahadal in Bombay for matching up some rubies.”
I swore bitterly.
“And we took him for a lunatic!”
“Ah, yes!” replied Sir Henry. “What was it you said as I came in? 'The human mind is capable of any absurdity!'”