"She always wore some
sort of veil; but you may be sure," he added in a tone of supreme
condescension, "that she was a very pretty woman, or I shouldn't have
been bothering with her."
"You are quite sure of that?" I ventured to remark.
"No doubt about it at all. Most extraordinary eyes--too damned
extraordinary by half!"
"Well," I said, "I am much indebted to you for your statement, and you
may be confident that it will materially assist the investigation now
in progress."
"Don't mention it," said Hines, airily. "If I can ever do anything
else for you, just let me know; but--I mean to say I rely upon you not
to bring me into it. You understand what I mean?"
"You may be absolutely certain," I replied, "that no hint of this
occurrence will ever be made public so far as I am concerned."
I took my departure from Leeways Farm fully satisfied with the result
of the first move in the plan of campaign upon which I had decided.
Returning to my quarters at the Abbey Inn, I spent the greater part of
the afternoon in writing a detailed account of my interview with
Edward Hines. Having completed this, I set out for the town, as by
posting my report there and not in the wayside box at Upper Crossleys
I knew that I could count upon its delivery at New Scotland Yard by
the first mail in the morning.
In leisurely fashion I performed the journey, for my next move could
not be made until after dusk.
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