Crofts
his friend but not mine Rachel Steel."
Langholm looked first at the end, and was thankful to see that the reply
was from Rachel herself. But the penultimate clause introduced a
complication. It must have some meaning. It would scarcely be a wholly
irrelevant expression of dislike. Langholm, at all events, read a
warning in the words--a warning to himself not to call on Mr. Crofts as
a friend of the dead man's wife. And this increased the complication,
ultimately suggesting a bolder step than the man of letters quite
relished, yet one which he took without hesitation in Rachel's cause. He
had in his pocket the card of the detective officer who had shown him
over the Black Museum; luckily it was still quite clean; and Langholm
only wished he looked the part a little more as he finally sallied
forth.
Mr. Crofts was in, his small clerk said, and the sham detective followed
the real one's card into the inner chamber of the poky offices upon the
third floor. Mr. Crofts sat aghast in his office chair, the puzzled
picture of a man who feels his hour has come, but who wonders which of
his many delinquencies has come to light.
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