Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/32

8 Rolt was not only false to the world at large, he was false even to his partner. Don't you think, Mr. Howitt, that it is odd that a man should be false to his partner?"

The inquiry was unheeded. Mr. Howitt was gazing at the crawling creatures which seemed to be clustering about his chair.

"Ring the bell!" he gasped. "Ring the bell! Have them taken away!"

"Have what taken away? My pretty playthings? My dear sir, to touch them would be dangerous. If you are very careful not to move from your seat, I think I may guarantee that you will be safe. You did not notice my question. Don't you think it odd that a man should be false to his partner?"

"Eh?— Oh!—Yes; very."

The stranger eyed the other intently. There was something in Mr. Howitt's demeanour which, to say the least of it, was singular.

"I thought you would think it was odd. It appears that one night the two men agreed that they would divide spoils. They proceeded to do so then and there. Colston, wholly unsuspicious of evil, was seated at a table, making up a partnership account Rolt, stealing up behind him, stupefied him with chloroform."

"It wasn't chloroform."

"Not chloroform ? May I ask how you know?"

"I—I guessed it."

"For a stranger, rather a curious subject on which to hazard a guess, don't you think so? However, allowing your guess, we will say it was not chloroform. Whatever it was it stupefied Colston. Rolt,