Page:Bat Wing 1921.djvu/186

178 “Oh,” said the Inspector, raising his eyebrows, “I see. You were here to make investigations?”

“Yes.”

“And these occurrences, will you tell me what they were?”

“Simple enough in themselves,” replied Harley. “Someone broke into the house one night.”

“Broke into the house?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“But this was never reported to us.”

“Possibly not, but someone broke in, nevertheless. Secondly, Colonel Menendez had detected someone lurking about the lawns, and thirdly, the wing of a bat was nailed to the main door.”

Inspector Aylesbury lowered his eyebrows and concentrated a frowning glance upon the speaker.

“Of course, sir,” he said, “I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but you are not by any chance trying to be funny at a time like this?”

“My sense of humour has failed me entirely,” replied Harley. “I am merely stating bald facts in reply to your questions.”

“Oh, I see.”

The Inspector cleared his throat.

“Someone broke into Cray’s Folly, then, a fact which was not reported to me, a suspicious loiterer was seen in the grounds, again not reported, and someone played a silly practical joke by nailing the wing of a bat, you say, to the door. Might I ask, Mr. Harley, why you mention this matter? The other things are serious, but why you should mention the trick of some mischievous boy at a time like this I can’t imagine.”

“No,” said Harley, wearily, “it does sound absurd, Inspector; I quite appreciate the fact. But, you see,