Part 47 (1/2)

Cyrus was the only one to comprehend instantly the seriousness of the blow ”Doggone it! Don't feel bad, my dear, you did all you could. A serious injury like that- ”

”Even the great Sitt Hakim's talents could not have prevailed in this case,” said Emerson. He had been holding the knife behind him, now he tossed it onto the ground. ”Mohammed was murdered- and not by me. In the dark of night the deed was done, with that knife.”

The others eyed the weapon as if it had been a snake coiled to strike Charlie was the first to speak ”Then then he was deliberately silenced! This is horrible! It means there is a traitor among us!”

He did it very well, I must say.

”We knew that,” Emerson said impatiently. ”And now that it is too late, we know that Mohammed was a danger to him or to his leader. How the devil did the killer get past your guard, Vandergelt?”

”I am going to find out pretty quick,” said Cyrus grimly.

”Mr. O'Connell will wish to accompany you,” said Emerson, as Cyrus got to his feet

Kevin was not at all anxious to volunteer. ”At least let me finish my breakfast,” he pleaded. ”If the fellow is dead, he can wait a few more minutes.”

”You lack the dogged zeal that is supposed to characterize your profession, Mr. O'Connell,” said Emerson. ”I had expected you would be on fire to examine the body, study the ghastly face, probe the wound, search the bloodstained garments, crawl around the floor looking for clues. The fleas and lice and flies won't bother a man of your hardened nerve, but do watch out for scorpions.”

Kevin's face had gone a trifle green. ”Stop that, Emerson,” I ordered. ”Come, Kevin. I will go with you.”

”Chacun a son gout,” remarked Emerson, taking a chair and reaching for the teapot. remarked Emerson, taking a chair and reaching for the teapot.

As I had expected, Kevin was of no help at all. After one glance at Mohammed's motionless form he hastily turned his back and began scribbling in his notebook while I crawled around the floor and carried out the other actions Emerson had suggested. I did allow myself to omit one, probing the wound was not necessary, since the stains on the knife blade were sufficient indication of how deeply it had penetrated.

While I searched for clues Cyrus was interrogating the guard. I heard most of what was said, for Cyrus's voice was rather loud and the guard's voice rose in volume as he defended himself. He stoutly denied that anyone had approached during the night. Yes, he might have dozed off, no one had relieved him, and a man could not do without sleep indefinitely. But his body had blocked the entrance to the shelter and he swore he would have sprung instantly awake if anyone had tried to pa.s.s him.

”Never mind, Cyrus,” I called. ”The killer did not enter that way. Come here and see.”

The slit in the canvas wall would have escaped my notice had I not been searching for something of the sort. It had been made by a very sharp knife- probably the same one that had penetrated Mohammed's scrawny chest.

”The killer would not even have to enter,” I said. ”Only insert an arm and strike. He must have known exactly where Mohammed's pallet was placed. And I had left a lamp burning, so that the guard could see inside. It was a waste of time looking for clues here Let us see if he left footprints outside.”

But of course he had not. The ground was too hard to take prints.

I dismissed Kevin, who was very glad to go. Taking Cyrus's arm, I held him back and let Kevin draw ahead.

”Now will you take the precaution I suggested?” I hissed. ”Charlie must be put under restraint! You were willing to take such measures with Kevin- ”

”And still am,” Cyrus said grimly. ”Archaeology is not the only profession whose members may be seduced by greed.”

I believe I gasped aloud. ”You don't mean- ”

”Who would know better than the man who sent it that you had received an invitation you wouldn't resist? I thought from the start there was something funny about that, a die-hard like O'Connell would be more likely to sneak up on you than ask you to come to him. He practically goaded you into bringing him here, and now you see what has happened- the first night after he arrived.”

”No,” I said. ”Surely not Kevin!”

It was not the first time those words had burst from my lips. Kevin could not have heard them, but at that very moment he turned his head and looked back. It might have been my overstrained nerves, it might have been the distorted angle at which I saw him, but on his face was a sly, secretive expression more sinister than any I had seen on that countenance before.

Ineptly a.s.sisted by Kevin, I interrogated the others in an attempt to establish alibis. I did not expect useful results, and I got none. Everyone claimed to have slept the sleep of the innocent and weary, and denied they had heard anything unusual. Charles swore Rene could not have left the tent they shared without awakening him, Rene swore the same about Charles That meant nothing. I could- and did- say the same about Bertha. But the dastardly deed could have been accomplished in five minutes or less, and innocent or guilty, we had all been tired enough to sleep soundly.

Emerson watched me with a sour amus.e.m.e.nt he made no attempt to conceal. At last he said, ”Satisfied, Miss Peabody? I could have told you this was a waste of time. Does anyone save myself intend to do any work today?”

Taking this for the order it undoubtedly was, Rene and Charles followed Emerson's example, and Emerson. So did the cat.