Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/131

 without a word unlocked his drawer and produced the manuscript.

"There!" said Wedgwood, drawing Miss. Tandy's attention to it. "Look at that, ma'am. Is that the manuscript Wraypoole brought you to copy?"

Miss Tandy uttered a gentle shriek of astonishment.

"Gracious me!" she exclaimed. "That's it, of course! But it was clean as a new pin when he laid it on my desk! Whatever's happened to it? And where did you get it?"

"Picked up in the street, Miss Tandy, and not so far from your door," said the inspector. "But you're to keep that to yourself, you know! Strict silence!"

"You can swear to it if need be?" suggested Wedgwood. "No doubt about it?"

"No doubt whatever!" declared Miss Tandy. "I'll swear to it!"

Wedgwood escorted Miss Tandy forth again, and after assuring her that he was making some progress went on to the British Museum. The afternoon was wearing to an end, and he supposed that Avice Mortover's duties in the refreshment room would be nearly over. He had already made his plans—he would take her off to some quiet place where, over a cup of tea, he could cautiously tell her what he had dis-