He kept the peace by staccato sentences under
astiff grey moustache. There were present, as the societypapers say, Major MacNabb,
the Chief Constable, and Mr. It was an old row, ofcourse; and I expect it was six to
one and half a dozen to theother.
But after alittle while they began to gather again,
though more remotely.
Why, THATS why its horrible to stop it, answered
Pond, almostsnappishly for so polite a person.
Luke, a man careful ofhis professional standing,
had taken very prompt steps to preventMr. And Ill tellye fair at the start that I
winna gie a bawbee to ken wha dirkedJamie Haggis.
Oh, said Wotton blankly, so you realized that you
were still onthe right track. James Haggis, of Glasgow, which filled the Scottishand
English newspapers not many years ago. I knew when Robert Angus left off goingto
kirk on the Sabbath.
You will remember that it is distinctly recorded
thatthey agreed.
After all, as he had said before, SOMEBODY had
killed poor FredFeversham.
There was no difference, said Pond, between
Tweedledum andTweedledee.
Angus was still looking at the knife in silence;
then he saidsuddenly: Why did you kill him?
No, said Pond gravely, as you say, I fancied
it.
A mere trifle, too light and airy to recur to our
minds at anyother time. And with the sound of that word he struck; and Andrew
Campbellmoved for the last time.
The only part of his conversation theycould
understand was the part they could not understand.
It was as if somethinghad suddenly gone wrong with
the works of a gramophone.
You wise thinker; you wary reasoner; youfool! It
was an old row, ofcourse; and I expect it was six to one and half a dozen to
theother.
The first lady he waited upon was the
Hon.
Stuff about Brighton and the club didnt interest
her, andshe didnt even remember it.
You must tell it to us another time, said Gahagan.
I have had daily dealings with a man I thought was doing nothingbut evil, answered
Angus. But I did ring up Gahagan and hear something of thetruth of his words and
movements that afternoon. Ye needna ask, noo we are agreed in moral philosophy,
replied theold doctor simply. And with the sound of that word he struck; and Andrew
Campbellmoved for the last time. They will cut intoconversation, on the theory that
it can be broken off anywhere.
You see, they stop conversations that are not
worthstarting again.
Pondcould have sworn that the Irishman was really
in love with Joan.
His speechwill, therefore, be rendered here with
difficulty and in doubt andtrembling.