At three o'clock this afternoon they came for me and I was led back
to the room belonging to Inspector Bray. When I entered, however,
the inspector was not there--only Colonel Hughes, immaculate and
self-possessed, as usual, gazing out the window into the cheerless
stone court. He turned when I entered. I suppose I must have had a most
woebegone appearance, for a look of regret crossed his face.
"My dear fellow," he cried, "my most humble apologies! I intended to
have you released last night. But, believe me, I have been frightfully
busy."
I said nothing. What could I say? The fact that he had been busy struck
me as an extremely silly excuse. But the inference that my escape from
the toils of the law was imminent set my heart to thumping.
"I fear you can never forgive me for throwing you over as I did
yesterday," he went on. "I can only say that it was absolutely
necessary--as you shall shortly understand."
I thawed a bit. After all, there was an unmistakable sincerity in his
voice and manner.
"We are waiting for Inspector Bray," continued the colonel. "I take it
you wish to see this thing through?"
"To the end," I answered.
"Naturally. The inspector was called away yesterday immediately after
our interview with him. He had business on the Continent, I understand.
But fortunately I managed to reach him at Dover and he has come back
to London. I wanted him, you see, because I have found the murderer of
Captain Fraser-Freer."
I thrilled to hear that, for from my point of view it was certainly a
consummation devoutly to be wished. The colonel did not speak again. In
a few minutes the door opened and Bray came in. His clothes looked as
though he had slept in them; his little eyes were bloodshot. But in
those eyes there was a fire I shall never forget. Hughes bowed.
"Good afternoon, Inspector," he said. "I'm really sorry I had to
interrupt you as I did; but I most awfully wanted you to know that you
owe me a Homburg hat." He went closer to the detective. "You see, I have
won that wager. I have found the man who murdered Captain Fraser-Freer."
Curiously enough, Bray said nothing. He sat down at his desk and idly
glanced through the pile of mail that lay upon it. Finally he looked up
and said in a weary tone: "You're very clever, I'm sure, Colonel Hughes."