yard with him. Old Edie brought out the cob; with his hand on its bridle Murthwaite turned to Madrasia.
"Now just get Parslewe to come straight back and tell me all about it so that I can write to Sperrigoe and clear up the mystery," he said. "Tell him all I have said, and that he must come at once."
But Madrasia was beginning to show signs of a certain mutinous spirit.
"We'll tell him every word you've said, and all about Sperrigoe coming here, and Weech coming, too," she answered. "But, you know, Mr. Murthwaite, you're completely ignoring something, lawyer though you are!"
"What?" he asked, with an amused laugh.
"That my guardian would never have gone away, never have wired for Mr. Craye and myself, never asked that the copper box should be brought to him, unless he had very good and strong reasons," she answered. "Do you think he's playing at something? Rot! The whole thing's much more serious than you think!"
Murthwaite looked from her to me.
