The Complete Curious Mr. Tarrant (The Lost Classics) by C. Daly King

Author:C. Daly King [King, C. Daly]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Collections & Anthologies, Fiction, Mystery & Detective
ISBN: 9781932009057
Publisher: Crippen & Landru
Published: 2017-07-28T16:00:00+00:00

First disappearance — First reappearance — Second disappearance —

Night — Aft’noon (?) Night —

Daben, Molla Daben, Stuart, Torpington Molla Daben, Stuart, Brinkerstall Daben, Molla Daben, Stuart, Brinkerstall

He had considered the listing for a time, then turned back through the pages of his notes. Torpington’s attitude regarding his patient, his preparedness to take her away with him; well, that fitted. Stuart had played very bad bridge the evening of the second disappearance. And that conversation between Molla and Stuart overheard in the corridor upstairs. Of course, there was a real controversy about the girl’s going away; could it be that the speeches he had heard were far more innocent than they appeared, were really no more than the secretary’s appeal to Molla to be sensible and to take the trip for her health? Were Molla and Stuart in love with each other, that was the question. He recalled Molla’s assurance that she would repeat her marriage, he recalled her “dynastic” reasons. She had been sincere about both these matters, he felt sure; but were they quite the same? He glanced through his notes again and smiled openly as the answer to his question stood plainly before him.

He had closed the notebook with a snap just as the train ground into the Hartford station.

Now he stood talking with Daben.

“I rather thought your relic would precede me,” he acknowledged. “However, I’m glad it has. Oh, before I forget it Brinkerstall asked me to tell you he’ll be up again tomorrow. No, just over night. There’s some further business he has to take up with Mrs. Daben and he wants to see her personally rather than writing. She is better than when I left, I trust?”

“Well, better, yes. Not herself though, by any means ... We shall be quite a party tomorrow evening. Dr. Torpington and his wife are coming for dinner and will spend the night. They’re great contract players; it’s quite a fixture. I do hope nothing further happens to disturb Molla."

“I am rather afraid," said Tarrant slowly, “that it will.”

“My God, man! You mean you expect Breogan’s harp to vanish for the third time?”

“Just that.”

“But we can’t allow that to happen. I shall post guards in the hall!”

“I was on guard in your hall myself last time. It didn’t seem to help much ... No, here is what I suggest. I propose to spend the next few nights in your library, inside instead of outside. It has always disappeared at night, hasn’t it?”

“It returned in the daytime yesterday; some time between noon and six p.m. But it has always disappeared at night. If you are going to do that, I shall keep you company. God knows what happens, but whatever it is, we shall take it on together.”

“I’d rather be alone,” said Tarrant. “Really.”

“No, no. I wouldn’t think of it. It is my difficulty, my place is there with you.”

Tarrant capitulated. “As you will. All right. Let us begin with tonight.”

But though they did, nothing occurred. In the closed and quiet library Tarrant spent the long hours in reading composedly.

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