An Experiment in Treason by Bruce Alexander Read Free Book Online Page A

true?”
    Lord Hillsborough was plainly annoyed at the question. He turned to Sir Thomas for advice — and received it. The two men huddled behind their upraised hands, buzzing away in whispers, first one and then the other. At last, fully informed, he turned back to Sir John.
    “I must decline to answer that question direct,” said he. “I can only say to you. Sir John Fielding, that His Majesty’s government attaches great importance to the letters and to their recovery and wishes them returned to me at once. That, I believe, is all I care to say at this meeting.”
    “Well,” said Sir John, rising from his chair, “since I was brought here specifically to hear what you had to say, and now you propose to stop talking, there is no point in remaining. I must say, though, that in spite of what I was led to expect from you by the Lord Chief Justice, I have gotten very little more from you than I did at my first visit here. Now I know what I did not know before, that I am to look for a packet of letters. How nice.” Then, after no more than a pause for breath, he turned round in my general direction and said, “Come along, Jeremy, let’s away from here.”
    I managed to push the chair aside and offered him my elbow. He felt the nudge I gave him and fastened onto me. But as we proceeded to the door, of a sudden he stopped, turned back to the two men, and spoke up once again.
    “I shall put another question to you. Lord Hillsborough. You needn’t answer it, for I believe I know the answer already. The question is this: Were you authorized to serve as custodian for these letters? Are there not rules against taking such important documents into your residence and keeping them there?”
    “I … Well … I …”
    “Just as I thought.” And so did we set out again upon our path to the study door. It opened magically before us, and I knew then that the butler had heard all, as butlers will. Yes, there he was, bowing solemnly before us, closing the door behind us, then reappearing just ahead to lead the way. Not only had he sharp ears, he was also fleet of foot for one of advanced years.
    ‘Twas at the door which led to Craig’s Court that the butler paused and spoke out in a low, confidential tone.
    “Sir John,” said he, “there was a detail to the burglary which I failed to pass on to you. I don’t know why I neglected to do so. Perhaps I was so upset that I — “
    “Quite understandable,” said Sir John, interrupting. “Events such as these have a way of disturbing one’s equihbrium, so to speak, so that matters go forgotten and important details are overlooked. I’ve experienced it myself.”
    “Well, I’m not at all sure that this would be what one would call an important detail, but I could not help but note that the locks to this front door had been secured open with a stout strip of cotton. I discovered it thus unlocked.”
    “Hmmm, I know not if that be an important detail, but it certainly is an interesting one. And I thank you for passing it on to me, Mr… . Mr… .”
    “Carruthers.”
    “Yes, I thank you, sir.”
    So saying. Sir John bobbed his head in a proper little bow, which Carruthers returned as he threw open the front door and bade us good day.
    I knew not the worth of that bit of information passed on to us by the butler, but it was plain that Sir John valued it highly. He bounced along beside me like a schoolboy off to holidays. I wondered at this and put the question to him. He responded with little more than a laugh at first.
    “Really, Jeremy!”
    “No, truly, sir, I’d like to know just why that oddment from the butler has excited you so.”
    “Well, how may I put this?” said Sir John. “First of all, it’s physical evidence, and physical evidence is worth something — well, a good deal more than all those evasions and suspicions put forward by Lord Hillsborough. What did he tell us, after all? Only that a packet of letters was stolen — not who wrote them, who