Ten Star Clues by E.R. Punshon Read Free Book Online

more useful to you than any one could be only brought in now.”
    â€œLook here,” said Ralph, a good deal moved. “I mean to say—well, it’s awfully good of you. Only—well, it’s a big risk.”
    Clinton nodded.
    â€œVery big,” he agreed. “It’ll be for big stakes—all in. If we lose, we shall both be done for. But I don’t think we shall. I’m utterly convinced we can prove this fellow is a fraud. And I feel I can do it. Mind you,” he added, with a little nervous laugh, “I know I’ve a lot to gain as well as lose. If we bring it off, my name will be made. Clinton Wells, the fellow who pulled through the big succession case. That’s what people will say. I shall be a made man.”
    â€œYou’re taking a big risk all the same,” Ralph repeated. “I shan’t forget. No reason why you shouldn’t have stood out. I—I—” he stammered a little, something like a lump in his throat. “I’m grateful,” he said and impulsively he held out his hand.
    Clinton Wells took it. For a moment they stood so, their hands firmly clasped. Clinton Wells said:—
    â€œDo nothing at present. We must lay our plans. I must be free first. You understand until I am free from my present obligations to your uncle and my partners, I can’t take any steps whatever. That’s no harm. Just as well to wait for their next move. The first thing to do will be to dig up who this fellow really is. For the moment, we must just wait and see. You understand?”
    Ralph nodded silently. It was action he wanted, but he realized the force of the other’s arguments.

CHAPTER III
SOME DOUBTS
    Although Bertram had been drinking tea and eating cakes and sandwiches with, as Mr. Winston Churchill might have said, a ‘certain relish’, none the less all this time he had also been watching closely Ralph and Clinton Wells as they talked together at the end of the terrace. Obviously he was uneasy at their prolonged conversation, and would have very much liked to know what they were saying.
    At the tea table itself few remarks were made. Arthur was still plunged deep in puzzled thought, and every now and then would stare hard at Bertram and then abruptly look away again. Sophy thought to herself: ‘Mr. Arthur doesn’t believe in him, but he is wondering how he can turn it to his own profit,’ and quite suddenly she realized she had always known that Mr. Arthur Hoyle, as a good business man, always thought first of how to turn any unexpected situation to his own profit.
    Anne only spoke to make occasional and conventional observations, such as ‘Do you take sugar?’ and so on, but in her case Sophy was sure she was perplexed and doubtful, bewildered by her grandfather’s announcement, unable fully to accept it and yet also unable to understand why the old man should say such a thing unless it were true. Sophy thought, too, that Anne was looking at Bertram with a good deal of personal interest. He was certainly good looking for those who liked that style, and he had a kind of appealing, friendly way with him, a little like that of a well-trained dog. Sophy felt it was a manner likely to appeal to Anne, who always wished to feel herself dominating others. It was one of the reasons why she herself always got on so well with Anne, because, of course, it was natural for an insignificant little thing like herself to accept the domination of such a brilliant, forceful personality as Anne. Then Sophy thought:— “No, he isn’t a bit like a well-trained dog, more like a cat that can purr, and scratch, too, if you don’t mind.” Aloud she said, very much surprised:—
    â€œOh, Mr. Ralph’s going.”
    Ralph, in fact, had descended the terrace steps and was striding away across the lawn. It might have been a flight. It had not that air. More like a march to the attack, Sophy thought. The