CHAPTER VII



SUNDRY DOINGS IN THE MIRK


From Kirkmichael on the train stopped at every station, but
no passenger seemed to leave or arrive at the little platforms
white in the moon. At Dalquharter the case of provisions was safely
transferred to the porter with instructions to take charge of it till
it was sent for. During the next few minutes Dickson's mind began to
work upon his problem with a certain briskness. It was all nonsense
that the law of Scotland could not be summoned to the defence.
The jewels had been safely got rid of, and who was to dispute
their possession? Not Dobson and his crew, who had no sort of title,
and were out for naked robbery. The girl had spoken of greater
dangers from new enemies--kidnapping, perhaps. Well, that was
felony, and the police must be brought in. Probably if all were
known the three watchers had criminal records, pages long, filed
at Scotland Yard. The man to deal with that side of the business
was Loudon the factor, and to him he was bound in the first place.
He had made a clear picture in his head of this Loudon--a derelict
old country writer, formal, pedantic, lazy, anxious only to get an
unprofitable business off his hands with the least possible trouble,
never going near the place himself, and ably supported in his lethargy
by conceited Edinburgh Writers to the Signet. "Sich notions of
business!" he murmured. "I wonder that there's a single county family
in Scotland no' in the bankruptcy court!" It was his mission to
wake up Mr. James Loudon.