MrQuinnoddedandrepeatedthewords."Forward,"hesaid,andpaused."Orback."
Therewa.s.somethingencouraginginhisvoice.Hisbright,darkeyeswerefixedonMrSatterthwaite.
"Thehandsoftheclockwereputforward,"saidMrSatterthwaite."Weknowthat."
"Werethey?"askedMrQuin.
MrSatterthwaitestaredathim."Doyoumean,"hesaidslowly,"that.i.twasthewatchwhichwasputback?b.u.t.thatdoesn"tmakesense.It"simpossible."
"Notimpossible,"murmuredMrQuin.
"Well-absurd.Towhoseadvantagecouldthatbe?"
"Only,Isuppose,tosomeonewhohada.n.a.libiforthattime."
"Bygad!"criedtheColonel."That"sthetimeyoungDelanguasaidhewastalkingtothekeeper."
"Hetoldusthatveryparticularly,"saidMrSatterthwaite.
Theylookedateachother.Theyhadanuneasyfeelingasofsolidgroundfailingbeneaththeirfeet.Factswentspinninground,turningnewandunexpectedfaces.Andinthecentreofthekaleidoscopewasthedark,smilingfaceofMrQuin.
"Butinthatcase-"beganMelrose-"inthatcase-"
MrSatterthwaite,nimble-witted,finishedhissentenceforhim."It"salltheotherwayround.Aplantjustthesame-butaplantagainstthevalet.Oh,but.i.tcan"tbe!It"simpossible.Whyeachofthemaccusedthemselvesofthecrime."
"Yes,"saidMrQuin."Uptillthenyoususpectedthem,didn"tyou?"Hisvoicewenton,placidanddreamy."Justlikesomethingoutofabook,yousaid,Colonel.Theygottheideathere.It"swhattheinnocentheroandheroinedo.Ofcourseitmadeyouthinktheminnocent-therewastheforceoftraditionbehindthem.MrSatterthwaitehasbeensayingallalongitwaslikesomethingonthestage.Youwerebothright.Itwasn"treal.You"vebeensayingsoallalongwithoutknowingwhatyouweresaying.They"dhavetoldamuchbetterstorythanthatifthey"dwantedtobebelieved."
Thetwomenlookedathimhelplessly.
"Itwouldbeclever,"saidMrSatterthwaiteslowly."Itwouldbediabolicallyclever.AndI"vethoughtofsomethingelse.Thebutlersaidhewentinatseventoshutthewindows-sohemusthaveexpectedthemtobeopen."
"That"sthewayDelanguacamein,"saidMrQuin."HekilledSirJameswithoneblow,andheandshetogetherdidwhattheyhadtodo-"
HelookedatMrSatterthwaite,encouraginghimtoreconstructthescene.Hedidso,hesitatingly.
"Theysmashedtheclockandput.i.tonitsside.Yes.Theyalteredthewatchandsmashedit.Thenhewentoutofthewindow,andshefasteneditafterhim.b.u.t.there"sonethingIdon"tsee.Whybotherwiththewatchatall?Whynotsimplyputbackthehandsoftheclock?"
"Theclockwasalwaysalittleobvious,"saidMrQuin.
"Anyonemighthaveseenthrougharathertransparentdevicelikethat."
"Butsurelythewatchwastoofarfetched.Why,itwaspurechancethatweeverthoughtofthewatch."
"Oh,no,"saidMrQuin."Itwasthelady"ssuggestion,remember."
MrSatterthwaitestaredathim,fascinated.
"Andyet,youknow,"saidMrQuindreamily,"theonepersonwhowouldn"tbelikelytooverlookthewatchwouldbethevalet.Valetsknowbetterthananyonewhattheirmasterscarryintheirpockets.Ifhealteredtheclock,thevaletwouldhavealteredthewatch,too.Theydon"tunderstandhumannature,thosetwo.TheyarenotlikeMrSatterthwaite."
MrSatterthwaiteshookhishead.
"Iwasallwrong,"hemurmuredhumbly."Ithoughtthatyouhadcometosavethem."
"SoIdid,"saidMrQuin."Oh!Notthosetwo-theothers.Perhapsyoudidn"tnoticethelady"smaid?Shewasn"twearingbluebrocade,oractingadramaticpart.Butshe"sreallyaveryprettygirl,andIthinkshelovesthatmanJenningsverymuch.Ithinkthatbetweenyouyou"llbeabletosavehermanfromgettinghanged."
"We"venoproofofanykind,"saidColonelMelroseheavily.
MrQuinsmiled."MrSatterthwaitehas."
"I?"MrSatterthwaitewasastonished.
MrQuinwenton."You"vegotaproofthatthat.w.a.tchwasn"tsmashedinSirJames"spocket.Youcan"tsmashawatchlikethatwithoutopeningthecase.Justtryitandsee.Someonetookthewatchoutandopenedit,setbackthehands,smashedthegla.s.s,andthenshut.i.tandput.i.tback.Theynevernoticedthatafragmentofgla.s.swasmissing."
"Oh!"criedMrSatterthwaite.Hishandflewtohiswaistcoatpocket.Hedrewoutafragmentofcurvedgla.s.s.
Itwashismoment.
"Withthis,"saidMrSatterthwaiteimportantly,"Ishallsaveamanfromdeath."