THE SECOND FINGER


It was, perhaps, fortunate for all concerned that, though Venner was so
closely identified by the irony of Fate with the movements of Mark
Fenwick, he was not known to the latter personally, though they had been
almost side by side three years previous in Mexico. Therefore, it was
possible for Venner to get a table in the dining-room quite close to that
of the alleged millionaire. It was all the more fortunate, as things
subsequently turned out, that Fenwick had returned to town that afternoon
and had announced his intention of dining at the hotel the same evening.
This information Venner gave to Gurdon when the latter turned up about
half-past seven. Then the host began to outline the plan of campaign
which he had carefully thought out.

"Fenwick is dining over there," he said. "He generally sits with his back
to the wall, and I have had our table so altered that we can command all
his movements. Vera, of course, will dine with him. Naturally enough, she
will act as if we were absolute strangers to her. That will be
necessary."

"Of course," Gurdon admitted. "But isn't it a strange thing that you
should be an absolute stranger to Fenwick?"

"Well, it does seem strange on the face of it. But it is capable of the
easiest explanation. You see, when I first met Vera, she was at school in
a town somewhere removed from the Four Finger Mine. I saw a good deal of
her there, and when finally she went up country, we were practically
engaged. At her urgent request the engagement was kept a secret, and when
I followed to the Mines it was distinctly understood that I should not