Irritated by this speech--for Penn knew very well of the rivalry--Dan
became scarlet. "I shall discover the truth. Lord Curberry need not
trouble himself."
"If you discover the truth----" began Penn, and hesitated.
"Well?" asked Halliday sharply.
"I think Lord Curberry will certainly marry Miss Moon."
"What do you mean by that?" demanded Dan, but Penn gave no answer.
Shaking his head significantly, he stepped back, and in one moment was
lost in the midst of the crowd which thronged the corner. Halliday
would have followed, for the man's last observation seemed to hint
that he knew more about the truth than he was disposed to admit; but
many people came between him and the secretary, so it was impossible
to get hold of him again. Dan was forced to walk on alone and he
walked on pondering deeply.
Did Penn know the truth? It seemed impossible that he should know it.
The evidence of the typewriting girl went to show that he had not left
his private room all the evening until summoned by Durwin when the
death was discovered. What Penn said about the perfume appeared to be
reasonable enough, as he certainly had handled the body, and if
reeking of the scent--as he was reeking on this very day--it was not
surprising that the odor should communicate itself to the dress
clothes of the dead man. Some odors cling very powerfully, and endure
for a considerable time. This Sumatra scent assuredly had done so, for
it was quite three hours after the death that Dan himself had seen the
corpse, and even then he had smelt the perfume. However, on the face
of it, Halliday saw no reason to doubt Penn's statement, and quite
understood how he became, through Sir John's mediation, the secretary
of Lord Curberry. Only the last speech of the secretary was strange.
Why should he say that, if the truth were discovered by Dan, Curberry
would marry the girl, when, on the discovery of the truth--so far as
Dan could see--the marriage of himself to Lillian depended? Dan could
find no answer to this question, and had half a mind to follow Penn to
his new employer's house, so as to force an explanation. But as he
knew Curberry did not like him, he decided to let matters stand as
they were, and only reveal what he had heard to Laurance.