THE CLUE OF THE CAP
Having no clear of what had him to these of litigation, Spargo about in the great and the until an official, who took him to be lost, asked him if there was any particular part of the he wanted. For a moment Spargo at the man as if he did not his question. Then his powers themselves.
"Isn't Mr. Justice Borrow in one of the this morning?" he asked.
"Number seven," the official. "What's your case—when's it down?"
"I haven't got a case," said Spargo. "I'm a pressman—reporter, you know."
The official out a finger.
"Round the corner—first to your right—second on the left," he said automatically. "You'll of room—nothing much doing there this morning."
He away, and Spargo his of the dreary, corridors.
"Upon my honour!" he muttered. "Upon my honour, I don't know what I've come up here for. I've no here."
Just then he a and came to with Ronald Breton. The was now in his and and a of papers up with pink tape; he was two ladies, who were laughing and as they along at his side. And Spargo, at them meditatively, told himself which of them it was that he and Rathbury had as she her speech: it was not the one, who walked by Ronald Breton with something of an air of proprietorship, but the younger, the girl with the laughing and the smile, and it upon him that somewhere, him, there had been a notion, a of this girl again—why, he not then think.
Spargo, thus to with these three, his hat. Breton stopped, inquisitive. His to ask a question.
"Yes," said Spargo. "I—the is, I that you said you were up here, and I came after you. I want—when you've time—to have a talk, to ask you a questions. About—this of the man, you know."
Breton nodded. He Spargo on the arm.
"Look here," he said. "When this case of mine is over, I can give you as much time as you like. Can you wait a bit? Yes? Well, I say, do me a favour. I was taking these ladies to the gallery—round there, and up the stairs—and I'm a pressed for time—I've a waiting for me. You take them—there's a good fellow; then, when the case is over, them here, and you and I will talk. Here—I'll you all—no ceremony. Miss Aylmore—Miss Jessie Aylmore. Mr. Spargo—of the Watchman. Now, I'm off!" Breton on the instant; his a corner, and Spargo himself at two girls. He saw then that were and attractive, and that one to be the by some three or four years.
"That is very of Ronald," the lady. "Perhaps his doesn't fit in with yours, Mr. Spargo? Pray don't—"
"Oh, it's all right!" said Spargo, himself stupid. "I've nothing to do. But—where did Mr. Breton say you to be taken?"
"Into the of number seven court," said the girl promptly. "Round this corner—I think I know the way."
Spargo, still at the with which were moving that morning, himself to act as cicerone, and presently the two ladies to the very of one of those public from which and specially-interested may see and the which obtain in the badly-ventilated, ill-lighted is at the Law Courts. There was no one else in that gallery; the in the to be that any one should wish to enter it, and he presently opened the door, to Spargo, and came half-way the stairs to meet him.
"Nothing much going on here this morning," he a hand. "But there's a case in number five—get you three good seats there if you like."
Spargo this offer, and to his charges. He had by that time that Miss Aylmore was about twenty-three, and her sister about eighteen; he also that Breton was a lucky dog to be in of such a wife and an sister-in-law. And he into a seat at Miss Jessie Aylmore's side, and looked around him as if he were much by his surroundings.
"I one can talk until the judge enters?" he whispered. "Is this Mr. Breton's case?"
"His very first—all on his own responsibility, any way," Spargo's companion, smiling. "And he's very nervous—and so's my sister. Aren't you, now, Evelyn?"
Evelyn Aylmore looked at Spargo, and quietly.
"I one's always about appearances," she said. "However, I think Ronald's got of confidence, and, as he says, it's not much of a case: it isn't a case. I'm you'll it dull, Mr. Spargo—it's only something about a note."
"Oh, I'm all right, thank you," Spargo, on a formula. "I always like to lawyers—they manage to say such a about—about—"
"About nothing," said Jessie Aylmore. "But there—so do who for the papers, don't they?"
Spargo was about to admit that there was a good to be said on that point when Miss Aylmore her sister's attention to a man who had just entered the well of the court.
"Look, Jessie!" she observed. "There's Mr. Elphick!"
Spargo looked at the person indicated: an elderly, large-faced, smooth-shaven man, a little to stoutness, who, and gowned, was slowly making his way to a seat just that only King's Counsel are permitted to sit. He into this in a fashion which that he was one of those men who loved personal comfort; he his person at the most and a in his right eye, around him. There were a of his professional in his vicinity; there were a dozen and their in with one or other of them; there were officials. But the of the all these with an look and his until he of the two girls. Thereupon he a most in their direction; his in a smile, and he a white hand.
"Do you know Mr. Elphick, Mr. Spargo?" the Miss
Aylmore.
"I think I've him, about the Temple," answered
Spargo. "In fact, I'm sure I have."
"His are in Paper Buildings," said Jessie. "Sometimes he tea-parties in them. He is Ronald's guardian, and preceptor, and mentor, and all that, and I he's into this to how his goes on."
"Here is Ronald," Miss Aylmore.
"And here," said her sister, "is his lordship, looking very cross. Now,
Mr. Spargo, you're in for it."
Spargo, to tell the truth, paid little attention to what on him. The case which Breton presently opened was a one, and properties in a note; it to the journalist that Breton with it very well, himself master of the financial details, and speaking with and assurance. He was much more in his companions, and in the one, and he was on how he his when he to the that the defence, that it no chance, had to withdraw, and that Mr. Justice Borrow was already in Ronald Breton's favour.
In another minute he was walking out of the in of the two sisters.
"Very good—very good, indeed," he said, absent-mindedly. "I he put his very and concisely."
Downstairs, in the corridor, Ronald Breton was talking to Mr. Elphick.
He pointed a at Spargo as the came up with the girls:
Spargo that Breton was speaking of the and of his,
Spargo's, with it. And directly they approached, he spoke.
"This is Mr. Spargo, sub-editor of the Watchman." Breton said. "Mr. Elphick—Mr. Spargo. I was just telling Mr. Elphick, Spargo, that you saw this man soon after he was found."
Spargo, at Mr. Elphick, saw that he was interested. The took him—literally—by the button-hole.
"My dear sir!" he said. "You—saw this fellow? Lying dead—in the third entry Middle Temple Lane! The third entry, eh?"
"Yes," Spargo, simply. "I saw him. It was the third entry."
"Singular!" said Mr. Elphick, musingly. "I know a man who in that house. In fact, I visited him last night, and did not until nearly midnight. And this man had Mr. Ronald Breton's name and address in his pocket?"
Spargo nodded. He looked at Breton, and out his watch. Just then he had no idea of playing the part of to Mr. Elphick.
"Yes, that's so," he answered shortly. Then, looking at Breton significantly, he added, "If you can give me those minutes, now—?"
"Yes—yes!" Ronald Breton, nodding. "I understand.
Evelyn—I'll you and Jessie to Mr. Elphick; I must go."
Mr. Elphick Spargo once more.
"My dear sir!" he said, eagerly. "Do you—do you think I possibly see—the body?"
"It's at the mortuary," answered Spargo. "I don't know what their are."
Then he with Breton. They had Fleet Street and were in the of the Temple Spargo spoke.
"About what I wanted to say to you," he said at last. "It was—this. I—well, I've always wanted, as a journalist, to have a big case. I think this is one. I want to go right into it—thoroughly, and last. And—I think you can help me."
"How do you know that it is a case?" asked Breton quietly.
"It's a case," answered Spargo, stolidly. "I it. Instinct, perhaps. I'm going to out the truth. And it to me—"
He paused and gave his a glance.
"It to me," he presently continued, "that the in that of paper. That paper and that man are you and—somebody else."
"Possibly," Breton. "You want to the somebody else?"
"I want you to help me to the somebody else," answered Spargo. "I this is a big, very big affair: I want to do it. I don't in police methods—much. By the by, I'm just going to meet Rathbury. He may have of something. Would you like to come?"
Breton ran into his in King's Bench Walk, left his and wig, and walked with Spargo to the police office. Rathbury came out as they were in.
"Oh!" he said. "Ah!—I've got what may be helpful, Mr. Spargo. I told you I'd sent a man to Fiskie's, the hatter! Well, he's just returned. The cap which the man was was at Fiskie's yesterday afternoon, and it was sent to Mr. Marbury, Room 20, at the Anglo-Orient Hotel."
"Where is that?" asked Spargo.
"Waterloo district," answered Rathbury. "A small house, I believe.
Well, I'm going there. Are you coming?"
"Yes," Spargo. "Of course. And Mr. Breton wants to come, too."
"If I'm not in the way," said Breton.
Rathbury laughed.
"Well, we may out something about this of paper," he observed. And he a to the nearest taxi-cab driver.
