The Man Who Knew too much

book of an acquaintance, and the saying had made a great impression upon her. She was twenty-one years of age, at which age girls are most impressionable and are little influenced by the working

ussion with herself as to whether she does or does not love a man can only have her doubts set at rest by the discovery of somebody whom she loves better. She liked Frank, and liked him well e

early marriage alarming. That she did not understand herself was not remarkable. Twenty-one has n

, in contrasting the men, that of the two she had a warmer and a deeper feeling for Jasper Cole. Her

to deny. I find myself liking him, though my instinc

Cole. There was something sinister--no, that was not the word--something "frightening" about him. He had a ma

was sixteen she was practically housekeeper to her adopted uncle--perhaps it was a matter of carriage arrangement. Once it had been much more serious, for after she had fixed up to go with a merry picnic party to the downs,

all suggestion that it was the presence of Frank Merrill which had induced him to exercise the veto which his extraordinary position gave to him. Accordi

a feeling of exasperation she realized that whenever Jasper had set his

e him credit. Never once had he

id not associate his presence in this terrible neighborhood or his mysterious comings and goings with anything discreditable to himself. She thought it was a little eccentric in him, and wondered whet

ell rang, and she rose from the table and crossed to the w

aid. "Whatever are

Minute bellowed th

nt. Will you lunch with me

to accept the invitation be

from the shelf at the side of his desk, swung round in his chair

eight, and was dressed in a somewhat violent check suit, the fit of which advertised the ski

o a point of coarseness, the bulbous nose, the thick, irregular lips, the massive chin all spoke of the hard life which John Minute had spent. His eyes were blue and cold, his hair a thick and unruly mop of gray. At a distance

Personally, I should be most happy to help you, not only because it is my business to help everybody, but bec

odesia and Barotseland, and a chance meeting at a dinner par

We cannot investigate the cause of intangible fears. If you are threatened we can help you, but the

itched about

get away from London, and all sorts of new people are prying round us. There was a new parson called the other day for a subscription to some boy sc

ip?" suggested t

here's a peddler, one of those fellows who sell glass and repair windows; nobody knows anything about him. He doesn't do enough business to keep a fly alive. He's always hanging round Weald Lodge.

tter to the local police?

te n

nothing suspici

said Mr. Mi

o get a living. After all, Mr. Minute, a man who is as rich as you are must expect to attract a number of people, each tryi

ir, his hands clasped, a

we, but as you are so worried I will put you in touc

e loo

officer?

ge shook

rthur Mann? I see you haven't. Saul Arthur Mann," said the commissioner, "has been a good friend of ours,

epeated Mr. Minute dubio

e, gave a number, and while he was waiting for the call to be p

ncent Lock," rep

t know the name of

shook h

'Waxy' in the v

ng down the names as he repeated them. "Well, we shall--Hello! Is that Saul

econd, and th

mes? The Reverend Vincent Lock, a peddling glazier who is known as 'Waxy,' and a

inute

now, Sir George--" he be

ing him to his chair again. "You will obtain

ake inquiries," said

ge shook

ne of the most remarkable people in the world of criminal investigation," he went on. "We tried to induce him to come to Scotland Yard.

receiver. He took a pencil and wrote rapidly on his pad, and whe

is visited every day by her brother-in-law, who is endeavoring to induce her to return to her home. That disposes of the reverend gentleman and his confederate. Miss Paines is a genuine landscape gardener, has been the plaintiff in two breach-of-promise cases, one of which came to the court. There is no doubt," the c

looked up with a

record department for failing to trace 'Wa

f our three," he said. "I will see tha

inute. "How the dickens does this f

ner shrugged

knows,"

of his visit

. I don't know what your real trouble is, and you haven't told me exactly why you should fear an

ked the other

l know," said t

to seek an interview with this strange individual there and then, for his curiosity was piqued and he had also a little apprehension, one which, i

vestibule, waiting for him, a

hat is not wholly to his credit, it c

They tell stories of those wonderful coach drives of his with relays of twelve mules waiting every ten miles. They speak of his gambling propensities, of ten-thousand-acre farms that changed hands at the turn of a card,

t of Lo'Ben and the Company alike, he betrayed both, and on that terrible day when it was a toss of a coin whether the concession seek

ns be a tender and a kindly friend. He had married wh

hundred miles of hostile country from Victoria Falls to Charter, from Charter to Marandalas, from Marandalas to Massikassi, and

rsion of the story was that John Minute had relentlessly followed his erring wife to Pieter M

moor. Some were half true, some wholly apocryphal, deliberate, and malicious inventions. True or false, John Minute ignored them all, denying nothi

ved more than the girl whose hand he held as they

he said in his gruff, quick way,

she said re

is shoulder

," he said. "I have got

opped

the interview? she asked, af

rd," he asked, "of

, "I seem to know that name. Man

e smile which rarely lit his face for a second, "if

r! He is 'The

turn to be

world have you

to describe the omniscient Mr. Mann--"A crank," growl

usly. "A man of the standing of the chief commissioner would not sp

I seem to remember the report of the inquest. The

tful because she wished to tell the story without betraying the fact that she had been with Frank. But she

lf," he grumbled. "Master Frank

laug

by accident," s

," said Jo

n whom Frank knew! You probabl

his napkin, stirred h

ad man remains unknown. I know Constable Wiseman very well," he said. "He has summoned me twice--once for doing a little pistol-shooting

two courses, for he did not speak until he set his fish knife and fo

lly viewed with suspicion and apprehension. It was an irritation even to suggest that there might be secret places in his own life which could be flooded with the light of this

e read, but in his inmost heart he knew of one dark place which baffled the outside world. He brought himse

"have you thought any mor

empt to fence w

an Jasp

, and sat with eyes downcast, tracing a little

st yet, and you are sufficiently acquainted with human nature to know that an

s," he said gruffly, "that

laug

not," she said. "I like Frank very mu

nute g

l went on. "But I am not

d by the fact that he is my--hei

is glance

ended. Of course, I don't care whether Frank is rich or poor. You have pro

ute grun

serious ab

o keen on Jasp

esit

most indispensable to me," he continued with his quick little laugh, "and that Frank has never been. Oh, yes, Frank's all

l laugh

hat I brought you here to-day. I am a very rich man. You know that. I have made millions and lost them,

im with a start

!" she

nod

he went on quickly, "but it will ma

on the table and look

there is the fact. If you marry Frank you would still get your two hundred thousand, though I should bitterly regret your marriage. No, my girl," he sa

John Minute summoned a

he handed her into he

n town next w

owed along the Strand, and, calling another taxi, he drove to