Page:The Incredulity of Father Brown.pdf/289

The Ghost of Gideon Wise With that they passed out, and the members of the group remaining looked grimly at each other.

"I hardly think," said Father Brown, "that we remain entirely victorious, in spite of the retreat."

"I don't mind anything," said Nares, "except being bullyragged by that blasphemous blackguard Halket. Horne is a gentleman, anyhow. But whatever they say, I am dead certain they know; they are in it, or most of them are. They almost admitted it. They taunted us with not being able to prove we're right, much more than with being wrong. What do you think, Father Brown?"

The person addressed looked across at Nares with a gaze almost disconcertingly mild and meditative.

"It is quite true," he said, "that I have formed an idea that one particular person knows more than he has told us. But I think it would be well if I did not mention his name just yet."

Nares' eyeglass dropped from his eye, and he looked up sharply. "This is unofficial so far," he said. "I suppose you know that at a later stage if you withhold information, your position may be serious."

"My position is simple," replied the priest. "I am here to look after the legitimate interests of my friend Halket. I think it will be in his interest, under the circumstances, if I tell you I think he will before long sever his connexion with this