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evidently Nadina didnā€™t bring the jewels with her to the rendezvous as they had counted on her doing. I fancy that Carton really had them and concealed them somewhere on the Kilmorden Castleā ā€”thatā€™s where he came in. They hoped that I might have some clue as to where they were hidden. As long as the Colonel did not recover the diamonds, he was still in dangerā ā€”hence his anxiety to get them at all costs. Where the devil Carton hid themā ā€”if he did hide them, I donā€™t know.ā€

ā€œThatā€™s another story,ā€ I quoted. ā€œMy story. And Iā€™m going to tell it you now.ā€

XXVII

Harry listened attentively whilst I recounted all the events that I have narrated in these pages. The thing that bewildered and astonished him most was to find that all along the diamonds had been in my possessionā ā€”or rather in Suzanneā€™s. That was a fact he had never suspected. Of course, after hearing his story, I realized the point of Cartonā€™s little arrangementā ā€”or rather Nadinaā€™s, since I had no doubt that it was her brain which had conceived the plan. No surprise tactics executed against her or her husband could result in the seizure of the diamonds. The secret was locked in her own brain, and the Colonel was not likely to guess that they had been entrusted to the keeping of an ocean steward!

Harryā€™s vindication from the old charge of theft seemed assured. It was the other, graver charge that paralyzed all our activities. For, as things stood, he could not come out in the open to prove his case.

The one thing we came back to, again and again, was the identity of the Colonel. Was he, or was he not, Guy Pagett?

ā€œI should say he was but for one thing,ā€ said Harry. ā€œIt seems pretty much of a certainty that it was Pagett who murdered Anita GrĆ¼nberg at Marlowā ā€”and that certainly lends colour to the supposition that he is actually the Colonel, since Anitaā€™s business was not of the nature to be discussed with a subordinate. Noā ā€”the only thing that militates against that theory is the attempt to put you out of the way on the night of your arrival here. You saw Pagett left behind at Cape Townā ā€”by no possible means could he have arrived here before the following Wednesday. He is unlikely to have any emissaries in this part of the world, and all his plans were laid to deal with you in Cape Town. He might, of course, have cabled instructions to some lieutenant of his in Johannesburg, who could have joined the Rhodesian train at Mafeking, but his instructions would have had to be particularly definite to allow of that note being written.ā€

We sat silent for a moment, then Harry went on slowly: ā€œYou say that Mrs. Blair was asleep when you left the hotel and that you heard Sir Eustace dictating to Miss Pettigrew? Where was Colonel Race?ā€

ā€œI could not find him anywhere.ā€

ā€œHad he any reason to believe thatā ā€”you and I might be friendly with each other?ā€

ā€œHe might have had,ā€ I answered thoughtfully, remembering our conversation on the way back from the Matoppos. ā€œHeā€™s a very powerful personality,ā€ I continued, ā€œbut not at all my idea of the Colonel. And, anyway, such an idea would be absurd. Heā€™s in the secret service.ā€

ā€œHow do we know that he is? Itā€™s the easiest thing in the world to throw out a hint of that kind. No one contradicts it, and the rumour spreads until everyone believes it as gospel truth. It provides an excuse for all sorts of doubtful doings. Anne, do you like Race?ā€

ā€œI doā ā€”and I donā€™t. He repels me and at the same time fascinates me; but I know one thing, Iā€™m always a little afraid of him.ā€

ā€œHe was in South Africa, you know, at the time of the Kimberley robbery,ā€ said Harry slowly.

ā€œBut it was he who told Suzanne all about the Colonel and how he had been in Paris trying to get on his track.ā€

ā€œCamouflageā ā€”of a particularly clever kind.ā€

ā€œBut where does Pagett come in? Is he in Raceā€™s pay?ā€

ā€œPerhaps,ā€ said Harry slowly, ā€œhe doesnā€™t come in at all.ā€

ā€œWhat?ā€

ā€œThink back, Anne. Did you ever hear Pagettā€™s own account of that night on the Kilmorden?ā€

ā€œYesā ā€”through Sir Eustace.ā€

I repeated it. Harry listened closely.

ā€œHe saw a man coming from the direction of Sir Eustaceā€™s cabin and followed him up on deck. Is that what he says? Now, who had the cabin opposite to Sir Eustace? Colonel Race. Supposing Colonel Race crept up on deck, and, foiled in his attack on you, fled round the deck and met Pagett just coming through the saloon door. He knocks him down and springs inside, closing the door. We dash round and find Pagett lying there. Howā€™s that?ā€

ā€œYou forget that he declares positively it was you who knocked him down.ā€

ā€œWell, suppose that just as he regains consciousness he sees me disappearing in the distance? Wouldnā€™t he take it for granted that I was his assailant? Especially as he thought all along it was I he was following?ā€

ā€œItā€™s possible, yes,ā€ I said slowly. ā€œBut it alters all our ideas. And there are other things.ā€

ā€œMost of them are open to explanation. The man who followed you in Cape Town spoke to Pagett, and Pagett looked at his watch. The man might have merely asked him the time.ā€

ā€œIt was just a coincidence, you mean?ā€

ā€œNot exactly. Thereā€™s a method in all this, connecting Pagett with the affair. Why was the Mill House chosen for the murder? Was it because Pagett had been in Kimberley when the diamonds were stolen? Would he have been made the scapegoat if I had not appeared so providentially upon the scene?ā€

ā€œThen you think he may be entirely innocent?ā€

ā€œIt looks like it, but, if so, weā€™ve got to find out what he was doing in Marlow. If heā€™s got a reasonable explanation of that, weā€™re on the right tack.ā€

He got up.

ā€œItā€™s past midnight. Turn in, Anne, and get some sleep. Just before dawn

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