I went out into the street, still not clear in my mind as to what I
should do. Presently, along came Alexander. But what a change had come
over him since Monday! Then he was a faded ruin; now he was a vision of
splendour. He was arrayed in new garments from top to toe--and not
garments which had been procured at a slop-shop either. Alexander must
have come into a fortune. The glory of him made one blink one's eyes.
Again, at sight of me he did not seem glad.
"Still out?" I began.
"Sir!" He pulled his hat more over to the side of his head. "Allow me
to point out to you that the fact of your being my brother does not
entitle you to insult me. May I ask what you mean by saying 'Still
out'?"
"My dear Alexander, is it possible that you can think me capable of
insulting you? I am only too glad to see that you still are out. And in
such gorgeous apparel! What universal provider have you been inspiring
with confidence?"
He drew his imitation astrachan cuffs further down over his wrists.
"I believe, my dear Reginald, that I informed you on Monday that I am a
private detective on a considerable scale. As such, it is part of my
business to wear disguises. You saw me in one of them on Monday. At
this moment I am in my usual attire."
"Indeed! and excellently it becomes you. Almost anybody might mistake
you for a respectable person. Alexander, by the way, what was that you
were saying about your having come up with Mr. Tennant on Sunday night
from Brighton?"
Alexander looked at me for a moment as if my question had knocked the
sense right out of him. Then, without a word, turning into a narrow
passage which was on our right, he walked off down it at the rate of a
good five miles an hour. I let him go, though what had sent him off in
such a style at such a pace was hidden from me.
I did sell Boomjopfs, but not through Mr. Tennant's managing man.
That night was to be the second meeting of the club. I dressed when I
got home: then I put my proofs into my pocket. After a solitary dinner
I started off to give back to the Club its Honour.
CHAPTER XV.
THE CLUB.
The club held its meetings in Horseferry Road. I had never been there
in the daytime, but by night the approaches, the surroundings, the
place itself did not strike one as being particularly savoury. One
wondered what the deuce one was doing in that galley.
We were instructed to tell cabmen to pull up at the Gas Light and Coke
Company's Offices. Since it was not deemed expedient to let even
jarveys know exactly where in that salubrious locality men with the
price of a cab-fare in their pockets happened to be going, the rest of
the distance was to be walked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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