Page:The Whisper on the Stair by Lyon Mearson (1924).djvu/131

 you to nod your head and say, “Yes, that’s just what I have always thought,” he is a great philosopher. This is to be doubted.

“But this business that was so important that you had to call me back to-night⸺”

“It’s just this,” he leaned over to her and spoke in a sibilant whisper. “I have rather a straight tip that the police are very close to making an arrest in the Masterson case and that I had better leave now while the leaving is fairly good⸺”

“But I thought you just said you had nothing to do with the murder of that poor old⸺”

“I didn’t,” he answered, “but it might be a bit difficult to prove just at this time. Because I did get the books, you see. So I thought it might be wise for us to go at once⸺”

“Us?” she inquired, looking at him curiously. “I hardly see why you include me in this affair⸺”

“Because,” he said slowly, with a slight significant lift of his bushy brows, “if I don’t—the police will. They are sure to include you in this. They know of our relations with one another; if they don’t, it won’t be difficult for them to find out, anyway, and⸺”

“But this is monstrous!” she ejaculated. “To have you drag me into a mess of this nature, when⸺”

“I didn’t, my dear,” he interposed calmly, silencing her with a wave of his arm. “It is circumstances that seem to drag you into it, not I. You know, in view of the fact that you sold the books, it will be difficult to keep you out of it—innocent as you are—as we are, that is. But if we go away at once—to-night!” he staccatoed the last word at her in a way that made her shudder—“I have reason to believe we will not be suspected or molested.”