The Man in the Queue by Daviot Gordon

Author:Daviot, Gordon [Daviot, Gordon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Crime, Classics, Historical
ISBN: 9781476733289
Amazon: B0B8VMZ796
Goodreads: 16159907
Publisher: Touchstone
Published: 1929-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

10 THE BURST TO THE NORTH

“SIMPSON,” SAID GRANT, “what were you yesterday when you were gathering information about the Ratcliffes?”

“I was an ex-serviceman with writing-pads, sir.”

“Oh, well, you can be an ex-serviceman again today. Very self-respecting, clean, with a collar, not a muffler, and out of a job. I want to know about a Mrs. Everett who lives at 98 Brightling Crescent, off the Fulham Road. I don’t want any door-to-door business. She’s shy of that, and you must be very careful. She looks as if she attends church. Try that. I think you should find it useful. Bar a club, it’s the gossipiest community I know of. I want to know, above all, where her friends and relations live. Never mind her correspondence. I can keep an eye on that myself, and, in any case, I have an idea that that isn’t likely to be useful. Mrs. Everett was not born yesterday. Get that into your head and remember it. Don’t work faster than you can with safety. If she spots you, it will mean that some one else will have to take over, and a promising line of investigation will be spoiled. The minute you get something, let me know, but don’t come back here until you’ve talked to me on the telephone first.”

That was how Mr. Caldicott, the clergyman of the Brightlingside Congregational Church, pushing damply at the mower which jibbed at the tough grass of his front lawn and finding the March sun too prodigal of its blessing, became aware that his labours were being viewed by a stranger with a queer mixture of sympathy and envy. Seeing that he had been discovered, the stranger made a sketchy motion towards his cap, in deference evidently to the cloth, and said, “That’s hot work on a day like this, sir. Will you let me take a hand?”

Now the clergyman was young and very fond of showing that he was not above a good day’s work. “Do you think I’m not able to do a job like that myself?” he asked, with a strong, brotherly smile.

“Oh, no, sir. It isn’t that at all. It’s only that I’d be very glad to earn a copper or two for doing it for you.”

“Oh?” said Mr. Caldicott, his professional instincts aroused. “Are you looking for work?”

“That’s about it,” said the man.

“Married?”

“No, sir.” Simpson was about to add a pious thanksgiving, but stopped himself in time.

“What kind of work are you looking for?”

“Anything.”

“Yes, but have you a trade?”

“I can make shoes, sir,” said Simpson, thinking he might as well stick to the truth as far as it served him.

“Well, perhaps it would be more sensible if you did the grass and I attended to other duties. Come in and have lunch with me at one o’clock.”

But that was not at all what Simpson wanted. The kitchen was his objective, not the parsonical conversation of the dining-room. With a masterly confusion he turned hesitatingly from the mower on which he had already laid

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.