Page:Bailey - Call Mr Fortune (Dutton, 1921).djvu/215

204 "He may. But I can't see how," Lomas said gloomily. "Can you?"

"I suppose you think I'm a fool, but I like to believe in my fellows," said Kimball, and they passed an awkward five minutes till Sandford came.

He looked a good young man. He was rather small, he was very lean, he wore eyeglasses. Everything about him was correct and restrained. But there was an oddity of structure about his face: it seemed to come to a point at the end of his nose, and yet his lower jaw looked heavy.

He made graded salutations to Kimball his chief and to Lomas. He looked at Reggie and Superintendent Bell as though he expected them to retreat from his presence. And he turned upon Kimball a glance that bade him lose no time.

Kimball seemed to find some difficulty in beginning. He cleared his throat, blew his nose, and took another pinch of snuff. "I don't know if you guess why I sent for you," he broke out.

"I infer that it is on this matter of the gamble in coal shares," said Sandford precisely.

"Yes. Do you know of any new fact?"

"Nothing has come before me."

"Well, there's something I want you to explain. I dare say you have a satisfactory explanation. But I'm bound to ask for it."

"I have nothing to explain that I know of."

"It's been brought to my knowledge that yesterday