“The Knave of Hearts!” she gasped between her bursts of merriment.
As Judith’s hysterical laughter echoed through the open door into the boudoir, a figure just entering it, paused, listened a moment, then with bent head, retreated cautiously into the hall and stole silently away.
CHAPTER VIII
PRO AND CON
At sight of John Hale towering head and shoulders above the others in the outer office of Latimer and House, Stockbrokers, the senior partner hastily excused himself from several persistent clients and sent his messenger to bring John Hale into his private office.
“Well?” he demanded without further greeting. “Well, has the night brought counsel?”
John Hale tipped the revolving chair he was occupying back to its limit before replying.
“The night brought nothing but sleeplessness,” he groaned. “Whichever way you look at it, Frank, it’s a damnable situation. Judith’s bonds missing from her father’s safe and discovered in her husband’s possession, and Austin found stabbed to death within a few feet of the opened safe in which her bonds were kept. My God! Frank,”—he bent nearer and Latimer saw the beads of perspiration standing on his brow,—“do you realize all that that implies?”
“You mean that Joe Richards opened the safe, stole the bonds and, caught in the act by Austin, killed him?” asked Latimer.
“Yes, that’s about it.” John Hale twirled his walking stick about. “Well, it tallies, doesn’t it?” and only by an effort of will did he hide a touch of eagerness.