“It does to him.”
He read the paper again.
“It says they've a clue.”
“They always say that.”
“But—My hat!”
“Eh?”
“My hat. I must have dropped it during the scrap. This man, Denman Sturgis, must have found it. It had my name in it!”
“George,” I said, “you mustn't waste time. Oh!”
He jumped a foot in the air.
“Don't do it!” he said, irritably. “Don't bark like that. What's the matter?”
“The man!”
“What man?”
“A tall, thin man with an eye like a gimlet. He arrived just before you did. He's down in the saloon now, having breakfast. He said he wanted to see you on business, and wouldn't give his name. I didn't like the look of him from the first. It's this fellow Sturgis. It must be.”
“No!”
“I feel it. I'm sure of it.”
“Had he a hat?”
“Of course he had a hat.”
“Fool! I mean mine. Was he carrying a hat?”
“By Jove, he
“But I haven't any money. Reggie, old man, lend me a tenner or something. I must get over the frontier into Italy at once. I'll wire my uncle to meet me in——”
“Look out,” I cried; “there's someone coming!”
He dived out of sight just as Voules came up the companion-way, carrying a letter on a tray.
“What's the matter!” I said. “What do you want?”
“I beg your pardon, sir. I thought I heard Mr. Lattaker's voice. A letter has arrived for him.”
“He isn't here.”
“No, sir. Shall I remove the letter?”
“No; give it to me. I'll give it to him when he comes.”
“Very good, sir.”
“Oh, Voules! Are they all still at breakfast? The gentleman who came to see Mr. Lattaker? Still hard at it?”
“He is at present occupied with a kippered herring, sir.”
“Ah! That's all, Voules.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He retired. I called to George, and he came out.
“Who was it?”
“Only Voules. He brought a letter for you. They're all at breakfast still. The sleuth's eating kippers.”
“That'll hold him for a bit. Full of bones.” He began to read his letter. He gave a kind of grunt of surprise at the first paragraph.
“Well, I'm hanged!” he said, as he finished.
“Reggie, this is a queer thing.”
“What's that?”
He handed me the letter, and directly I started in on it I saw why he had grunted. This is how it ran:
“My dear George—I shall be seeing you to-morrow, I hope; but I
think it is better, before we meet, to prepare you for a curious
situation that has arisen in connection with the legacy which
your father inherited from your Aunt Emily, and which you are
expecting me, as trustee, to hand over to you, now that you have
reached your twenty-fifth birthday. You have doubtless heard
your father speak of your twin-brother Alfred, who was lost or
kidnapped—which, was never ascertained —when you were both
babies. When no news was received of him for so many years, it
was supposed that he was dead. Yesterday, however, I received a
letter purporting that he had been living all this time in Buenos
Ayres as the adopted son of a wealthy South American, and has
only recently discovered his identity. He states that he is on
his way to meet me, and will arrive any day now. Of course,
