The Lost Naval Papers by Bennet Copplestone
page 35 of 262 (13%)
page 35 of 262 (13%)
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"I was curious, that's all." He looked at me with a queer, quizzical expression, and then laughed softly. "You will understand my question directly, but for the moment let us get on. What sort of person should you say made those drawings and wrote that description?" I am no Sherlock Holmes; but any one who has had some acquaintance with engineers and their handiwork can recognise the professional touch. "These drawings are the work of a trained draughtsman, and the writing is that of a draughtsman. One can tell by the neatness and the technique of the shading." "Right first time," said Dawson approvingly. "At present I have that draughtsman comfortably locked up; we picked him out of the drawing office at ----" he named a famous yard in which had been built one of the ships of the class illustrated upon the paper in my hands. "Poor devil," I said. "What is the cause--drink, women, or the pressure of high prices and a large family?" "None of them. His employers give him the best of characters, he gets good pay, is a man over military age, and has, so far as the police can learn, no special embarrassments. He owns his house, and has two or three hundred pounds in the War Loan." "Then why in the name of wonder has the _schweinehund_ sold his country?" |
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