Page:Bailey - Call Mr Fortune (Dutton, 1921).djvu/96

Rh "Well, he's a very lucky man. And I hope you're a lucky girl."

"Oh, I am," said Nurse Dauntsey, with conviction. "He has been arrested. They say he murdered Sir Albert Lunt. Mr. Fortune, you will help us?"

"Who in creation is the lucky man?"

"His name is Vernon Cranford. He's a mining engineer. Oh, he's been everywhere. He's a born explorer, you know. He discovered a copper mine in Portuguese East Africa, one of the richest mines in the world. He came home last year and told Sir Albert Lunt about it, and Sir Albert sent him out to show the place. There was a sort of expedition, you know. And then, somehow, on the way up country Vernon was left behind. The other men tricked him. And when he got back to Mozambique he found that the other men had claimed the place was theirs. They had—what do you call it?—secured the concession, the rights in it. Wasn't it a shame? Vernon was just furious. I don't know quite how it happened. He only came back on Monday. I know he thought it was Sir Albert Lunt's fault. He said he was going to see him and have it out with him. He was going to see him yesterday. And then, last night, I had this note from him." She held it out, then couldn't bear to let it out of her hands, and so read it to him.

"'—You mustn't worry. Lunt's been