Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/213

Rh "How do you know that?"

"Because I saw the other two doing it."

The inspector turned to me.

"Not very satisfactory, is it?"

"No," I answered. "But do you mind letting us look into No. 5—the room they occupied?"

"Not at all," said the landlord. "Will you come with me?"

So saying he led the way down the passage to a little room on the right-hand side, the door of which he threw open with a theatrical flourish. It was all in pitch darkness, but a few seconds later the gas was lit and we could see all that it contained. A small table stood in the centre of the room and round the walls were ranged two or three wooden chairs. A small window was at the end and a fireplace opposite the door. On the table was a half-smoked cigar and a torn copy of the Evening Mercury. But that was not what I wanted, so I went down on my hands and knees and looked about on the floor. Presently I descried a small ball of paper near the grate. Picking it up I seated myself at the table and turned to the barman, who was watching my movements attentively.

"Was this room used by any other people after the party we are looking for left?"

"No, sir. There was nobody in either of these two bottom rooms."

"You are quite certain of that?"

"Perfectly certain."

I took up the ball of paper, unrolled it and spread it out on the table. To my disgust it was only the back half of an envelope, and though it had a few figures dotted about on it, was of no possible use to me.

"Nothing there?" asked the inspector.