Whistling to himself like a man well satisfied with the latest turn in a
difficult situation, he began to undress. The other followed suit. They
were both in their pajamas and both were in bed and the lights had been
put out before Bronston spoke:
"Mind you, Keller," he said, "I'm not fooled to any great extent by this
change in attitude on your part."
"What do you mean?" asked Keller sharply.
"Well," said Bronston, "I can't help but realise that you've got a
selfish and a personal motive of your own for doing what you've just
done. You're bound to know that if the truth about us were to get out
the people on this boat probably wouldn't value your company any higher
than they'd value mine--maybe not so highly as they might value mine."
Keller sat up in bed.
"I don't get you," he said. "Just what do you mean by that?"
"You're a private detective, aren't you?"
"Well, what of it?" demanded Keller. "What's wrong with my being a
private detective?"
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," said Bronston, suddenly grown
drowsy. He settled his head down in the pillow and rolled over on his
side, turning his back to his roommate. "Let's go to sleep."
Instantly he seemed to be off; he began drawing long, heavy breaths.
With a snort Keller settled down, uttering grumbled protests in an
injured and puzzled tone. Presently he slept, too, with the choky snores
of a very weary man.
So far as we know they both slept the sleep of travel-worn men until
morning. It was seven o'clock and the sunlight was flooding in at the
porthole when their bathroom steward knocked upon the outer panels of
their door, at first softly, then more briskly. When they had roused and
answered him, he told them that their baths were ready and waiting for
them; also that the weather was fine and the sea smooth. It was Bronston
who went first to the bathroom. He had come back, and was dressing
himself when Keller, after clearing his throat several times, reopened
a subject which seemingly had laid uppermost in his dormant mind while
he slept.
"Say, Bronston," he began in an aggrieved voice, "what made you say what
you said just after we turned in last night--about private detectives,
you know?"
"Oh, let it drop," answered Bronston, as though the topic were of no
consequence.
"No," pressed Keller, "I won't let it drop. I'd like to know what you
meant. I don't care much for that sort of talk."
Bronston had his shaving kit open and was soaping his cheeks in front of
a small mirror at a stationary washstand in the corner of the room. He
turned with the lather brush in his hand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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