Part 4 (1/2)
”This,” he re unexpected I had heard you had come to town, but I had hoped to atory I fear your visitation finds ularly unprepared to do the duties of a host You found the passage dark? Ah, Lawton, I fear it will be darker still where you are going”
”That's enough, Shelton,” interrupted the first gentleman ”I didn't coh in the old days You can talk a woman off her feet, but by God, you can't talk h disavowing some coently, ”the sa it is, Lawton, after years of intrigue and dissimulation My son, this is Mr Lawton, an old, but he will pardon me if I do not add--a valued acquaintance”
For a moment Mr Lawton's pale eyes looked sharply into h, thin face, resolute and iht nose that seemed pulled too close to his upper lip, and a hly on a narrow, bony jaw, a mouth, as I looked at it, that seemed ready to utter an imprecation
”Mr Lawton and I have met before,” I said
”Indeed? And our friend in the background,” my father continued ”Perhaps it is my bad memory that permits his identity still to be a revelation?”
The stranger nervously arranged a fold in his sea cloak, while his little black eyes darted restlessly about the rooentle, unassu voice, ”and very much at your service”
”Captain Shelton be damned!” snapped Lawton ”Keep your naer and the boy Now, Shelton, for the reason why I'm here”
”Indeed, I am forced to admit the reason for your visit ues of a long day, coupled with the evening's wine--” He stifled a yawn behind the back of his hand, and sht as was his speech, Mr Lawton seemed to take a deep interest in it Indeed, even while he backed around the table and seated hihtest expression engaged his undivided attention There fell a silence such as soaher than is pleasant Brutus atching Mr Sinant intensity Mr
Sims watched Brutus Mr Lawton's eyes, as I have said, never left my father, and my father polished his nails on the sleeve of his coat
”Did I understand you to say,” he asked finally, ”that you were planning to relieve my mind of the burden of speculation?”
”Quite,” said Mr Lawton, with a poor atteht to induce or force you to return a piece of stolen property
I give you the liberty of taking your choice Either--”
His voice raised itself to a sharp command
”_daed Mr Laas leaning across the table, levelling a pistol at my father's head With a detached, acadelanced at the weapon, and, without perceptible pause, without added haste or deliberation, he continued to withdraw the hand he had thrust into his right coat pocket Beside me I heard Brutus draw a sharp breath I saw Mr Sims fumble under his cloak and take a quick step backwards There was a tense, pregnant silence, broken by Mr
Sims in fervent expletive My father had withdrawn his hand He was holding in it his silver snuff box, which he tossed carelessly on the table, where it slid anat, Lawton,” he continued in his old conversational h one can kill a sparroith a five pound shot, is it worth the effort? Sard is for you, a note penned in three lines would have brought you back your trinket But when you say it is stolen--”
With a gesture of exasperation, Mr Lawton attempted to interrupt
”When you say it is stolen,”his voice, ”your memory fails you I won that snuff box from you fairly, because your horse refused a water jurimace of impatience
”Perhaps I can refresh your memory on a more immediate matter,” he interjected harshly, ”awith your character Don't, don'tof you! At a certain chateau in the Loire Valley, as recently as two overnents”
”Let us err on the side of accuracy,” said racious assent, ”and add that the affair was rather ents than forit was fortunate you ran away, I suppose,” suggested Mr Lawton, ”fortunate, but natural You escaped, Shelton, in the co to apprehend You retained in your possession a list of names of political importance It is a part of your damned blackmail, I suppose I say you stole that paper!”
”Indeed?” said my father ”In that case, perh the box is commonplace”