Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/244

 "Forgery?" he exclaimed. "And whose name have I forged! Not yours, I'll warrant!"

Wedgwood gave him a keen look and Wraypoole laughed again—this time with obvious contempt.

"Off it again, Wedgwood!" he exclaimed sarcastically. "And worse than ever, this time!"

"We'll see about that!" said Wedgwood. "Step further this way—I don't want a scene."

"No time to step that way," retorted Wraypoole. "My wife and I are going on that boat! There's all our luggage"

"You're not going on that boat!" interrupted Wedgwood firmly. "You're going back to London with me! If you'd been on that boat—if you'd got off on it—you'd have been held on arrival at New York. I want you on a charge of forging the verification form of these passports you've just shown. What do you say to that, now?"

But as he snapped out this sharp and direct question Wedgwood had an uncomfortable feeling that he was on some wrong tack. If Wraypoole had looked genuinely surprised a minute before he now looked genuinely incredulous. What was more, the woman at his side who up to now had remained silent, gazing anxiously from one man to the other let out an equally