Page:Chesterton - The Wisdom of Father Brown.djvu/169

THE HEAD OF CÆSAR "It is an extraordinary problem," admitted Flambeau.

"Not so extraordinary as the answer," remarked Father Brown, rather gloomily. "Miss Carstairs, will you be at home if we call at your Fulham place in an hour and a half hence?"

The girl looked at him; and then rose and put her gloves on. "Yes," she said, "I'll be there"; and almost instantly left the place.

That night the detective and the priest were still talking of the matter as they drew near the Fulham house, a tenement strangely mean even for a temporary residence of the Carstairs family.

"Of course the superficial, on reflection," said Flambeau, "would think first of this Australian brother who's been in trouble before, who's come back so suddenly, and who's just the man to have shabby confederates. But I can't see how he can come into the thing by any process of thought, unless"

"Well?" asked his companion patiently.

Flambeau lowered his voice. "Unless the girl's lover comes in too, and he would be the blacker villain. The Australian chap did know that Hawker wanted the coin. But I can't see how on earth he could know that Hawker had got it; unless Hawker signalled to him or his representative across the shore."

"That is true," assented the priest, with respect. 155