|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 93
But Mary Bewery was not there--had not been there that morning
said the caddy-master. There were only a few players out. In
one of them, coming towards the club-house, Bryce recognized
Sackville Bonham. And at sight of Sackville, Bryce had an
inspiration. Mary Bewery would not come up to the links now
before afternoon; he, Bryce, would lunch there and then go
towards Wrychester to meet her by the path across the fields
on which he had waylaid her after his visit to Leicestershire.
And meanwhile he would inveigle Sackville Bonham into
conversation. Sackville fell readily into Bryce's trap. He
was the sort of youth who loves to talk, especially in a
hinting and mysterious fashion. And when Bryce, after
treating him to an appetizer in the bar of the club-house, had
suggested that they should lunch together and got him into a
quiet corner of the dining-room, he launched forth at once on
the pertinent matter of the day.
"Heard all about this discovery of those missing Saxonsteade
diamonds?" he asked as he and Bryce picked up their knives and
forks. "Queer business that, isn't it? Of course, it's got
to do with those murders!"
"Think so?" asked Bryce.
"Can anybody think anything else?" said Sackville in his best
dogmatic manner. "Why, the thing's plain. From what's been
let out--not much, certainly, but enough--it's quite evident."
"What's your theory?" inquired Bryce.
"My stepfather--knowing old bird he is, too!--sums the whole
thing up to a nicety," answered Sackville. "That old chap,
Braden, you know, is in possession of that secret. He comes
to Wrychester about it. But somebody else knows. That
somebody gets rid of Braden. Why? So that the secret'll be
known then only to one--the murderer! See! And why? Why?"
"Well, why?" repeated Bryce. "Don't see, so far."
"You must be dense, then," said Sackville with the lofty
superiority of youth. "Because of the reward, of course!
Don't you know that there's been a standing offer--never
withdrawn!--of five thousand pounds for news of those jewels?"
"No, I didn't," answered Bryce.
"Fact, sir--pure fact," continued Sackville. "Now, five
thousand, divided in two, is two thousand five hundred each.
But five thousand, undivided, is--what?"
"Five thousand--apparently," said Bryce.
"Just so! And," remarked Sackville knowingly, "a man'll do a
lot for five thousand."
"Or--according to your argument--for half of it," said Bryce.
"What you--or your stepfather's--aiming at comes to this, that
suspicion rests on Braden's sharer in the secret. That it?"
"And why not?" asked Sackville. "Look at what we know--from
the account in the paper this morning. This other chap,
Glassdale, waits a bit until the first excitement about Braden
is over, then he comes forward and tells the Duke where the
Duchess's diamonds are planted. Why? So that he can get the
five thousand pound reward! Plain as a pikestaff! Only, the
police are such fools."
"And what about Collishaw?" asked Bryce, willing to absorb all
his companion's ideas.
"Part of the game," declared Sackville. "Same man that got
rid of Braden got rid of that chap! Probably Collishaw knew a
bit and had to be silenced. But, whether that Glassdale did
it all off his own bat or whether he's somebody in with him,
that's where the guilt'll be fastened in the end, my
stepfather says. And--it'll be so. Stands to reason!"
"Anybody come forward about that reward your stepfather
offered?" asked Bryce.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|