Detective and mystery stories, English; Private investigators -- Fiction
All was quiet, and the door opened at once to Dorrington's picklock,
for there was nothing but the common tumbler rim-lock to secure
it. Dorrington, being altogether an unscrupulous scoundrel, would
have thought nothing of entering a man's room thus for purposes of
mere robbery. Much less scruple had he in doing so in the present
circumstances. He lit the candle in a little pocket lantern, and,
having secured the door, looked quickly about the room. There was
nothing unusual to attract his attention, and he turned to two
bags lying near the dressing-table. One was the usual bookmaker's
satchel, and the other was a leather travelling-bag; both were locked.
Dorrington unbuckled the straps of the large bag, and produced a
slender picklock of steel wire, with a sliding joint, which, with a
little skilful "humouring," turned the lock in the course of a minute
or two. One glance inside was enough. There on the top lay a large
false beard of strong red, and upon the shirts below was a pair of
spectacles. But Dorrington went farther, and felt carefully below the
linen till his hand met a small, flat, mahogany box. This he withdrew
and opened. Within, on a velvet lining, lay a small silver instrument
resembling a syringe. He shut and replaced the box, and, having
rearranged the contents of the bag, shut, locked and strapped it, and
blew out his light. He had found what he came to look for. In another
minute Mr. Bob Naylor's door was locked behind him, and Dorrington took
his picklocks to his own room.
It was a noisy evening in the Commercial Room at the "Crown." Chaff
and laughter flew thick, and Richard Telfer threatened Naylor with a
terrible settling day. More was drunk than thirst strictly justified,
and everybody grew friendly with everybody else. Dorrington, sober and
keenly alert, affected the reverse, and exhibited especial and extreme
affection for Mr. Bob Naylor. His advances were unsuccessful at first,
but Dorrington's manner and the "Crown" whisky overcame the bookmaker's
reserve, and at about eleven o'clock the two left the house arm in
arm for a cooling stroll in the High Street. Dorrington blabbed and
chattered with great success, and soon began about Janissary.
"So you've pretty well done all you want with Janissary, eh? Book
full? Ah! nothing like keeping a book even all round--it's the safest
way--'specially with such a colt as Janissary about. Eh, my boy?" He
nudged Naylor genially. "Ah! no doubt it's a good colt, but old Telfer
has rum notions about preparation, hasn't he?"
"I dunno," replied Naylor. "How do you mean?"
"Why, what does he have the horse led up and down behind the stable
for, half an hour every afternoon?"
"Didn't know he did."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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