"
The little man with the imperturbable face removed his cigar from
his mouth and contemplated it steadfastly.
"It is mysterious," he said. "There are circumstances in connection
with it which even now puzzle me very much, very much indeed. There
are circumstances in connection with it also which I fear may be a
shock to you, sir."
"My life," Mr. Sabin said, with a faint smile, "has been made up of
shocks. A few more or less may not hurt me."
"Duson," the detective said, "was at heart a faithful servant!"
"I believe it," Mr. Sabin said.
"He was much attached to you!"
"I believe it."
"It is possible that unwittingly he died for you."
Mr. Sabin was silent. It was his way of avoiding a confession of
surprise. And he was surprised. "You believe then," he said,
after a moment's pause, "that the poison was intended for me?"
"Certainly I do," the detective answered. "Duson was, after all,
a valet, a person of little importance. There is no one to whom
his removal could have been of sufficient importance to justify
such extreme measures. With you it is different."
Mr. Sabin knocked the ash from his cigarette.
"Why not be frank with me, Mr. Passmore?" he said. "There is no
need to shelter yourself under professional reticence. Your
connection with Scotland Yard ended, I believe, some time ago.
Pages:
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277