Colonel Thorndyke's SecretHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
General
Colonel Thorndyke's Secret
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Detective and mystery stories; Hindus -- England -- Fiction; India -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“You will go with Mr. Thorndyke,” the chief said, “and he will give you
instructions. The capture is a very important one, and there must be no
mistake made. We believe the man to be Bastow. I think you were present
at his trial, Chester; he escaped from Sydney Convict Prison some
three years ago, and is, I believe, the author of many of the highway
robberies and burglaries that have puzzled us so. Of course, you will
take firearms, but if he is alone you will certainly have no occasion
to use them, especially as you will take him completely by surprise.
You will order a gig from Morden, and leave here about three o'clock. I
should say you had better get up as two countrymen who have been up
to market. However, Mr. Thorndyke will explain the whole matter to you
fully.”
Mark then went off with the two officers to a private room, and went
into the whole matter with them.
“I think, Chester,” he said, “that you had better watch in the High
Street, because you know the man. At least, you have seen him, and may
recognize him again.”
“I think I should know him, however much he has changed. I took
particular notice of him at the trial, and thought what a hardened
looking young scamp he was. It is very seldom I forget a face when once
I have a thorough look at it, and I don't think I am likely to forget
his.”
“Malcolm, I think you cannot do better than take your place in the
garden of the house next to his; it is a place that has stood empty for
many months, and there is no chance of anyone seeing you. His paddock
comes up to the garden, and you can, by placing yourself in the corner,
see him as he comes out into the lane. As soon as you see that he has
gone, come back to the Greyhound with the news. I shall be there, and
you will pick up Chester in the High Street as you come along; of course
you won't pretend to know me, but the mere fact of your coming back will
be enough to tell me that he has gone. As soon as it gets dark we will
pay our reckoning, and drive off in the gig, leaving it in the drive in
front of the house this side of his. I shall have strolled off before,
and shall be waiting for you there. If he does not come out by ten
o'clock we can give it up for tonight. You had better say that you have
changed your mind, and will take beds at the Greyhound; and the next
morning drive off in your gig and put up again at the inn at the other
end of the town, the White Horse. I will come over again at two o'clock
in the afternoon. You will bring handcuffs, and you had better also
bring a stout rope to tie him with.”
When every detail had been arranged, Mark strolled to Dick Chetwynd's
lodgings.
“Well, Mark what has become of you? I have not seen you for the last two
months, and I hear that you have not been near Ingleston's crib since I
saw you.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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