下载辰思小说免费APP
“Youdonotseriouslybelieve，“heasked，“thatDusonmetwithadeathwhichwasintendedforme？“
“Iamafraid，“thedetectivesaidthoughtfully，“thatIknownomoreaboutitthanyoudo。“
“Isee，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thatIamnostrangertoyou。“
“Youareveryfarfrombeingthat，sir，“themananswered。“A
fewyearsagoIwasworkingfortheGovernment-andyouwerenotoftenoutofmysight。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Itwasperhapsjudicious，“heremarked，“thoughIamafraiditprovedofverylittleprofittoyou。Andwhataboutthepresenttime？“
“Iseenoharmintellingyou，sir，thatageneralwatchiskeptuponyourmovements。Dusonwasusefultous……butnowDusonisdead。“
“Itisafact，“Mr。Sabinsaidimpressively，“thatDusonwasagenius。Myadmirationforhimcontinuallyincreases。“
“Dusonmadeharmlessreportstousaswedesiredthem，“thedetectivesaid。“Ihaveanidea，however，thatifthiscoursehadatanytimebeeninimicaltoyourintereststhatDusonwouldhavedeceivedus。“
“Iamconvincedofit，“Mr。Sabindeclared。
“AndDusonisdead！“
Mr。Sabinnoddedgravely。
Thelittlehard-visagedmanlookedsteadilyforamomentuponthecarpet。
“DusondiedvirtuallywhilstacceptingpayfromifnotactuallyintheemployofourSecretServiceDepartment。Youwillunderstand，therefore，thatwe，knowingofthiscomplicationinhislife，naturallyinclinetowardsthetheoryofmurder。ShallIbetakingaliberty，sir，ifIgiveyouanunprofessionalwordofwarning？“
Mr。Sabinraisedhiseyebrows。
“Bynomeans，“heanswered。“Butsurelyyoucannot-“
Themansmiled。
“No，sir，“hesaiddrily。“Idonotforonemomentsuspectyou。
Themanwasourspyuponyourmovements，butIamperfectlyawarethattherehasbeennothingworthreporting，andIalsoknowthatyouwouldneverrunsuchariskfortheremovalofsoinsignificantaperson。No，mywarningcomestoyoufromadifferentpointofview。Itis，ifyouwillpardonmysayingso，nonethelesspersonal，butwhollyfriendly。ThecaseofDusonwillbesiftedtothedregs，butunlessIamgreatlymistaken，andIdonotseeroomforthepossibilityofamistake，Iknowthetruthalready。“
“Youwillshareyourknowledge？“Mr。Sabinaskedquietly。
Thedetectiveshookhishead。
“Youshallknow，“hesaid，“beforethelastmoment。ButIwanttowarnyouthatwhenyoudonowit-itwillbeashocktoyou。“
Mr。Sabinstoodperfectlystillforseveralmoments。Thislittlemanbelievedwhathewassaying。Hewascertainlydeceived。YetnonethelessMr。Sabinwasthoughtful。
“Youdonotfeelinclined，“hesaidslowly，“togivemeyourentireconfidence。“
“Notatpresent，sir，“themananswered。“Youwouldcertainlyintervene，andmycasewouldbespoilt。“
Mr。Sabinglancedattheclock。
“Ifyoucaretocallonmeto-morrow，“hesaid，“Icouldperhapsshowyousomethingwhichmightchangeyouropinion。“
Thedetectivebowed。
“Iamalwaysopen，sir，“hesaid，“toconviction。Iwillcomeabouttwelveo’clock。“
Mr。Sabinwentbacktothepalmlounge。LucilleandReginaldBrottweresittingtogetheratasmalltable，talkingearnestlytooneanother。ThePrinceandLadyCareyhadjoinedanotherpartywhowerealltalkingtogetherneartheentrance。Thelatter，directlyshesawthemcoming，detachedherselffromthemandcametohim。
“Yourcoffeeisalmostcold，“shesaid，“butthePrincehasfoundsomebrandyofwonderfulage，somewhereinthelastcentury，I
believe。“
Mr。SabinglancedtowardsLucille。Sheappearedengrossedinherconversa
