SUDDEN LIKING; AND PASSES THE NIGHT UNTIL DAWN REVEALS A SHAMEFUL SECRET


Some ten days after Coryndon had taken up his quarters with Hartley, he
informed his host that he intended to disappear for a time, and that he
would take his servant, Shiraz, with him. He had been through every
quarter of Mangadone before he set out to commence operations, and the
whole town lay clear as a map in his mind.

Hartley was dining out, "dining at the Wilders'," he said casually, and
he further informed Coryndon that Mrs. Wilder had asked him to bring his
friend, but no amount of persuasion could induce Coryndon to forgo an
evening by himself. He pointed out to Hartley that he never went into
society, and that he found it a strain on his mind when he required to
think anything through, and, with a greater show of reluctance than he
really felt, Hartley conceded to his wish, and Coryndon sat down to a
solitary meal. He ate very sparingly and drank plain soda water, and
whilst he sat at the table his long, yellow-white fingers played on the
cloth, and his eyes followed the swaying punkah mat with an odd,
intense light in their inscrutable depths.

He had made Hartley understand that he never talked over a case, and
that he followed it out entirely according to his own ideas, and Hartley
honestly respected his reserve, making no effort to break it.

"When the hands are full, something falls to the ground and is lost,"
Coryndon murmured to himself as he got up and went to his room.
"Shiraz," he called, "Shiraz," and the servant sprang like a shadow from
the darkness in response to his master's summons.