Miss Mephistopheles: A Novel: (Sequel to Madame Midas.)
David Hume · en
The bundle sniffed in an affirmative manner, so Stewart opened the
letter and read it quickly. It only contained a line from Naball that
if he heard of any new development of the case he would let Keith
know, so that young gentleman, wondering why the detective took the
trouble to write to him slipped the letter in his pocket, and nodded
to the bundle.
"All right," he said quickly; "no answer," and he shut the door in the
bundle's face, whereupon the bundle sniffed.
"I know him now," said Mr. Tulch to himself in a husky voice, as he
walked away. "I'd know 'im if he was dooplicated twice h'over." Having
come to this satisfactory conclusion, Mr. Tulch took up his position a
short distance away, and began his dreary task of watching the house.
And it was dreary work. The long hot day was over, and the long hot
night had begun. It was just a quarter past seven, and the sky was a
cloudless expanse of darkish blue, blazing with stars; a soft wind was
whispering among the leaves of the trees, and making little whirls of
white dust in the road. Every now and then a gay party of men and
women on their way to some amusement would pass the spy, but he
remained passively at his post, watching the sun-blistered varnished
door of Vance's boarding-house. At last his patience was rewarded,
for, somewhere about half-past seven, Keith came hurriedly out, and
sped rapidly down the street.
"What's he arter?" sniffed Mr. Tulch, stretching his cramped limbs.
"I'll 'ave to ketch 'im h'up," and he rolled as quickly as he was able
after the tall figure of the young man.
A tram came along, and, without stopping it, Keith jumped on the
dummy--the spy, breathless with running, sprang on the step of the end
car and got inside, keeping his eye on Keith. The tram car went
rapidly along Flinders Street, stopping every now and then to pick up
or drop passengers, at which Keith seemed impatient. At last Spencer
Street station was reached, and Keith sprang out; so did Tulch,
keeping close to his heels.
Stewart walked impatiently up and down one of the long platforms,
which shortly began to fill with people expecting their friends. The
shrill whistle of an approaching engine was heard, a red light
suddenly appeared, advancing rapidly, and presently the long train,
with its lighted carriages, drew up inside the station.
Such a hurry-scurry; people jumping out of the train to meet those
pressing forward on the platform, porters calling to one another,
boxes, rugs, portmanteaus, bundles, all strewing the ground--a babel
of voices, and at intervals the shrill whistle of a departing train.