Page:The man who knew too much.djvu/92

 brow and a high-bridged nose; his companion was a younger man with light, curly hair and frank, and even innocent, eyes. Symon scarcely seemed to hear the newcomers; it seemed almost as if he had not realized that the return of the light revealed his brooding attitude. Then he started in a guilty fashion, and when he saw the elder of the two strangers, his pale face seemed to turn a shade paler. "Why it's Horne Fisher!" and then after a pause he said in a low voice, "I'm in the devil of a hole, Fisher." "There does seem a bit of a mystery to be cleared up," observed the gentleman so addressed. "It will never be cleared up," said the pale Symon. "If anybody could clear it up, you could. But nobody could." "I rather think I could," said another voice from outside the group, and they turned in surprise to realize that the man in the black robe had spoken again. "You!" said the colonel, sharply. "And how do you propose to play the detective?" "I do not propose to play the detective," answered the other, in a clear voice like a bell. "I propose to play the magician. One of the magicians you show up in India, Colonel." No one spoke for a moment, and then Horne Fisher surprised everybody by saying, "Well,