“I wrote to Mrs Holford, certainly,” was the fellow’s cool reply. “But without any evil intent; of that she will herself assure you.”
“Where is she?”
“You will, no doubt, see her before very long, and she will explain the reason of her absence.”
“Ah!” I said, “you adventurers dare not tell me the truth with your own lips. Remember, I saw the Professor lying dead in this house. You cannot induce me to believe that my eyes deceived me!”
“And yet you see the Professor alive before you now!” declared Kirk with a triumphant laugh.
But I made a gesture of disgust, declaring that I refused to be fooled further.
“You are not being fooled, Mr Holford,” asserted the man in a calm, distinct voice, as he opened the door and called to Antonio.
The grave-eyed manservant entered in a few seconds, and as he did so the new-comer said: “Antonio, will you please tell this gentleman who I am?”
“You are my dear master, signore—the Signor Professor Ernest Greer.”
“I already know, Antonio, that you’re a clever liar,” I cried, “so you can retire.”