Part 39 (1/2)

”Me, sir! Not a sign of him, sir. Which I never comes here much before half-past eleven, sir, Mr. Elphick being then gone out to his breakfast. I see him yesterday morning, sir, which he was then in his usual state of good health, sir, if any thing's the matter with him now. No, sir, I ain't seen nothing of him.”

Breton let out another exclamation of impatience.

”You'd better leave all this,” he said. ”Mr. Elphick's evidently gone away in a hurry, and you mustn't touch anything here until he comes back. I'm going to lock up the chambers: if you've a key of them give it to me.”

The charwoman handed over a key, gave another astonished look at the rooms, and vanished, muttering, and Breton turned to Spargo.

”What do you say?” he demanded. ”I must hear--a good deal! Out with it, then, man, for Heaven's sake.”

But Spargo shook his head.

”Not now, Breton,” he answered. ”Presently, I tell you, for Miss Aylmore's sake, and your own, the first thing to do is to get on your guardian's track. We must--must, I say!--and at once.”

Breton stood staring at Spargo for a moment as if he could not credit his own senses. Then he suddenly motioned Spargo out of the room.

”Come on!” he said. ”I know who'll know where he is, if anybody does.”

”Who, then?” asked Spargo, as they hurried out.

”Cardlestone,” answered Breton, grimly. ”Cardlestone!”

CHAPTER THIRTY

REVELATION

There was as much bright suns.h.i.+ne that morning in Middle Temple Lane as ever manages to get into it, and some of it was s.h.i.+ning in the entry into which Spargo and Breton presently hurried. Full of haste as he was Breton paused at the foot of the stair. He looked down at the floor and at the wall at its side.

”Wasn't it there?” he said in a low voice, pointing at the place he looked at. ”Wasn't it there, Spargo, just there, that Marbury, or, rather, Maitland, was found?”

”It was just there,” answered Spargo.

”You saw him?”

”I saw him.”

”Soon--afterwards?”

”Immediately after he was found. You know all that, Breton. Why do you ask now?”

Breton, who was still staring at the place on which he had fixed his eyes on walking into the entry, shook his head.

”Don't know,” he answered. ”I--but come on--let's see if old Cardlestone can tell us anything.”

There was another charwoman, armed with pails and buckets, outside Cardlestone's door, into which she was just fitting a key. It was evident to Spargo that she knew Breton, for she smiled at him as she opened the door.

”I don't think Mr. Cardlestone'll be in, sir,” she said. ”He's generally gone out to breakfast at this time--him and Mr. Elphick goes together.”

”Just see,” said Breton. ”I want to see him if he is in.” The charwoman entered the chambers and immediately screamed.

”Quite so,” remarked Spargo. ”That's what I expected to hear.