Yet, being in possession of certain secret knowledge, Fetherston had formed a theory—one that was amazing and startling—a theory which he had, after long deliberation, made up his mind to investigate and prove.
This girl had loved Harry Bellairs before he had met her, and because of it the poor fellow had fallen beneath the hand of a secret assassin.
She stood there in ignorance that he had already seen and closely questioned Barker in London, and that the man had made an admission, an amazing statement—namely, that the subtle Eastern perfume upon Enid Orlebar, when she arrived so hurriedly and excitedly at Half Moon Street, was the same which had greeted his nostrils when he entered his master's chambers on his return from that errand upon which he had been sent.
Enid Orlebar had been in the captain's rooms during his absence!
CHAPTER XIII
THE MYSTERIOUS MR. MALTWOOD
Now Enid Orlebar's story contained several discrepancies.
She had declared that she arrived at Hill Street about seven o'clock on that fateful second of September. That might be true, but might she not have arrived after her secret visit to Half Moon Street?