第73章

Aunt Margaret's lady, being a soft one, had insisted on the man coming into the hall, where he had been given all kinds of restoratives.When the man had at last gone off, it was found that he had "wolfed" young master's best walking-stick, one with a fine tortoise-shell top to it.Thus had Aunt Margaret proved to her lady that the man had been shamming, and her lady had been very angry -near had a fit herself!

"There's a lot of that about," said Chandler, laughing.

"Incorrigible rogues and vagabonds - that's what those sort of people are!"And then he, in his turn, told an elaborate tale of an exceptionally clever swindler whom he himself had brought to book.He was very proud of that job, it had formed a white stone in his career as a detective.And even Mrs.Bunting was quite interested to hear about it.

Chandler was still sitting there when Mr.Sleuth's bell rang.For awhile no one stirred; then Bunting looked questioningly at his wife.

"Did you hear that?" he said."I think, Ellen, that was the lodger's bell."She got up, without alacrity, and went upstairs.

"I rang," said Mr.Sleuth weakly, "to tell you I don't require any supper to-night, Mrs.Bunting.Only a glass of milk, with a lump of sugar in it.That is all I require - nothing more.I feel very very far from well" - and he had a hunted, plaintive expression on his face."And then I thought your husband would like his paper back again, Mrs.Bunting."Mrs.Bunting, looking at him fixedly, with a sad intensity of gaze of which she was quite unconscious, answered, "Oh, no, sir!

Bunting don't require that paper now.He read it all through."Something impelled her to add, ruthlessly, "He's got another paper by now, sir.You may have heard them come shouting outside.Would you like me to bring you up that other paper, sir?"And Mr.Sleuth shook his head."No," he said querulously."I much regret now having asked for the one paper I did read, for it disturbed me, Mrs.Bunting.There was nothing of any value in it -there never is in any public print.I gave up reading newspapers years ago, and I much regret that I broke though my rule to-day."As if to indicate to her that he did not wish for any more conversation, the lodger then did what he had never done before in his landlady's presence.He went over to the fireplace and deliberately turned his back on her.

She went down and brought up the glass of milk and the lump of sugar he had asked for.

Now he was in his usual place, sitting at the table, studying the Book.

When Mrs.Bunting went back to the others they were chatting merrily.She did not notice that the merriment was confined to the two young people.

"Well?" said Daisy pertly."How about the lodger, Ellen? Is he all right?""Yes," she said stiffly."Of course he is!""'He must feel pretty dull sitting up there all by himself - awful lonely-like, I call it," said the girl.

But her, stepmother remained silent.

"Whatever does he do with himself all day?" persisted Daisy.

"Just now he's reading the Bible," Mrs.Bunting answered, shortly and dryly.

"Well, I never! That's a funny thing for a gentleman to do!"And Joe, alone of her three listeners, laughed - a long hearty peal of amusement.

"There's nothing to laugh at," said Mrs.Bunting sharply."I should feel ashamed of being caught laughing at anything connected with the Bible."And poor Joe became suddenly quite serious.This was the first time that Mrs.Bunting had ever spoken really nastily to him, and he answered very humbly, "I beg pardon.I know I oughtn't to have laughed at anything to do with the Bible, but you see, Miss Daisy said it so funny-like, and, by all accounts, your lodger must be a queer card, Mrs.Bunting.""He's no queerer than many people I could mention," she said quickly;and with these enigmatic words she got up, and left the room.