The Voice in the Fog - Page 41/93

"No; cut it out for six months. Come on, now; don't keep me waiting

any longer."

"Mum's th' word?"--tantalizingly.

"You ought to know that by this time"--aggrieved.

Haggerty tossed the bunch of keys on the table.

"Ha! Good specimens, these," Forbes declared, handling them. "Here's

a window-opener."

"Good boy!" said Haggerty, as a teacher would have commended a bright

pupil.

"And a door-chain lifter. Nothing lacking. Did he hit you with these?"

"Ye-up."

"What are these regular keys for?"

"One o' them unlocks a door." Haggerty smoked luxuriously.

Forbes eyed the ordinary keys with more interest than the burglarious

ones. Haggerty was presently astonished to see the artist produce his

own key-ring.

"What now?"

"When Crawford went abroad he left a key with me. I am making some

drawings for an Egyptian romance and wanted to get some atmosphere."

"Uhuh."

"Which key is it that unlocks a door?" asked Forbes, his eyes sparkling.

"Never'll get that out o' your head, will you?"

"Which key?"

"Th' round-headed one."

Forbes drew the key aside and laid it evenly against the one Crawford

had left in his keeping.

"By George!"

"What's th' matter?"

"He's come back!"--in a whisper.

"You're a keen one! Ye-up; Crawford's valet Mason is visiting in town."