He said,"
observed Darrow, consulting one of the bundle of papers he held in his
hand:
"'My patience is at an end. Your last warning will be sent you at
nine-thirty this morning. If you do not sail on the _Celtic_ at noon, I
shall strike,' and so forth. The _Celtic_ sailed at noon, without
McCarthy. At twelve thirty came the first message to the people calling on
them to deliver up the traitor that is among you.' How did Monsieur X know
that McCarthy had not sailed on the _Celtic_? The answer is now
unavoidable: either an accomplice must have sent him word to that effect,
or he must have determined the fact for himself.
"I eliminated the hypothesis of an accomplice on the arbitrary grounds of
plain common sense. They don't grow two such crazy men at once; and one
crazy man is naturally too suspicious to hire help. I took it for granted.
Had to make a guess somewhere; but, contrary to our legal friends, I
believe that enough coincidences indicate a certainty. But if Monsieur X
himself saw the _Celtic_ sail without McCarthy, and got back to his
instrument within a half-hour, it was evident he could not be quite so far
away as Eldridge and the rest of them thought."
"One thing," spoke up Jack, "I often wondered what you whispered to
Simmons to induce him to pass those messages over to you. Mind telling?"
"Not a bit. Simmons is an exceptional man. He has nerve and intelligence.
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