If you
doubt my word, come down on your knees with me and examine these ashes."
Crawshay, with a little exclamation, crossed the floor and crouched down by
the other's side. A word or two in the topmost document stared at him. The
seal of the envelope had melted, and a little thread of green wax had made
a strange pattern upon the stones.
"Is this the end, then?" he demanded in bewilderment.
"It is the end," was the solemn reply. "Perhaps if you take the ashes away
with you, you will be able to consider that honours are divided."
"You burnt them--yourself?" Crawshay muttered, still wondering. "Every
gentleman in this room," Denis replied, "is witness of the fact that I
destroyed unopened the packet which I brought from America, barely five
minutes ago."
Crawshay stood upright once more. He was convinced but puzzled.
"Will you tell me what induced you to do this?" he asked.
"We will tell you presently. As for the submarine outside, well, as you
see, he is still sending up blue lights."
Crawshay gathered the ashes together and thrust them into an envelope.
"Your friend will be trying some of our Irish whisky, Denis," Michael
Dilwyn invited. "We are hoping to make the brand more popular in England
before long.
Pages:
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319