"
Again I fancied I caught a brief look of surprise, but it must have been
very brief, for his face was as inscrutable as ever as he answered,
"Do exactly as you like."
A maid came with a jug of hot water and then I was alone.
"I wonder if the man believes me?" I said to himself. "Things are going a
little too dashed smoothly!"
However, there was nothing for it now but playing the game out. I first
took the precaution of suddenly and quietly opening the door. There was
nobody at the key hole, so I took off my oilskin and put on the tweed
coat, and then locked up the top drawer and put the key in my pocket.
Hardly necessary to say that drawer remained as empty as the others.
"I call that either a very neat dodge, or a devilish silly one," I said
to myself. "And which it is depends entirely on the results."
As I brushed my hair I thanked my stars I was fair, for a shave was now
long overdue.
"What a pirate I'd look if I were a brunette!" I thought, and as it was,
the recollection of dainty Miss Rendall made me determined to borrow a
razor forthwith.
I foresaw that lunch would be a function demanding considerable tact.
Seeing that I had decided, rightly or wrongly (and the Lord knew which!),
not to trust these people, they had to be kept in a nice equilibrium
betwixt doubt and confidence.
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