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MrQuinnoddedandrepeatedthewords."Forward,"hesaid,andpaused."Orback."
Therewa.s.somethingencouraginginhisvoice.Hisbright,darkeyeswerefixedonMrSatterthwaite.
"Thehandsoftheclockwereputforward,"saidMrSatterthwaite."Weknowthat."
"Werethey?"askedMrQuin.
MrSatterthwaitestaredathim."Doyoumean,"hesaidslowly,"that.i.twasthewatchwhichwasputback?b.u.t.thatdoesn'tmakesense.It'simpossible."
"Notimpossible,"murmuredMrQuin.
"Well-absurd.Towhoseadvantagecouldthatbe?"
"Only,Isuppose,tosomeonewhohada.n.a.libiforthattime."
"Bygad!"criedtheColonel."That'sthetimeyoungDelanguasaidhewastalkingtothekeeper."
"Hetoldusthatveryparticularly,"saidMrSatterthwaite.
Theylookedateachother.Theyhadanuneasyfeelingasofsolidgroundfailingbeneaththeirfeet.Factswentspinninground,turningnewandunexpectedfaces.Andinthecentreofthekaleidoscopewasthedark,smilingfaceofMrQuin.
"Butinthatcase-"beganMelrose-"inthatcase-"
MrSatterthwaite,nimble-witted,finishedhissentenceforhim."It'salltheotherwayround.Aplantjustthesame-butaplantagainstthevalet.Oh,but.i.tcan'tbe!It'simpossible.Whyeachofthemaccusedthemselvesofthecrime."
"Yes,"saidMrQuin."Uptillthenyoususpectedthem,didn'tyou?"Hisvoicewenton,placidanddreamy."Justlikesomethingoutofabook,yousaid,Colonel.Theygottheideathere.It'swhattheinnocentheroandheroinedo.Ofcourseitmadeyouthinktheminnocent-therewastheforceoftraditionbehindthem.MrSatterthwaitehasbeensayingallalongitwaslikesomethingonthestage.Youwerebothright.Itwasn'treal.You'vebeensayingsoallalongwithoutknowingwhatyouweresaying.They'dhavetoldamuchbetterstorythanthatifthey'dwantedtobebelieved."
Thetwomenlookedathimhelplessly.
"Itwouldbeclever,"saidMrSatterthwaiteslowly."Itwouldbediabolicallyclever.AndI'vethoughtofsomethingelse.Thebutlersaidhewentinatseventoshutthewindows-sohemusthaveexpectedthemtobeopen."
"That'sthewayDelanguacamein,"saidMrQuin."HekilledSirJameswithoneblow,andheandshetogetherdidwhattheyhadtodo-"
HelookedatMrSatterthwaite,encouraginghimtoreconstructthescene.Hedidso,hesitatingly.
"Theysmashedtheclockandput.i.tonitsside.Yes.Theyalteredthewatchandsmashedit.Thenhewentoutofthewindow,andshefasteneditafterhim.b.u.t.there'sonethingIdon'tsee.Whybotherwiththewatchatall?Whynotsimplyputbackthehandsoftheclock?"
"Theclockwasalwaysalittleobvious,"saidMrQuin.
"Anyonemighthaveseenthrougharathertransparentdevicelikethat."
"Butsurelythewatchwastoofarfetched.Why,itwaspurechancethatweeverthoughtofthewatch."
"Oh,no,"saidMrQuin."Itwasthelady'ssuggestion,remember."
MrSatterthwaitestaredathim,fascinated.
"Andyet,youknow,"saidMrQuindreamily,"theonepersonwhowouldn'tbelikelytooverlookthewatchwouldbethevalet.Valetsknowbetterthananyonewhattheirmasterscarryintheirpockets.Ifhealteredtheclock,thevaletwouldhavealteredthewatch,too.Theydon'tunderstandhumannature,thosetwo.TheyarenotlikeMrSatterthwaite."
MrSatterthwaiteshookhishead.
"Iwasallwrong,"hemurmuredhumbly."Ithoughtthatyouhadcometosavethem."
"SoIdid,"saidMrQuin."Oh!Notthosetwo-theothers.Perhapsyoudidn'tnoticethelady'smaid?Shewasn'twearingbluebrocade,oractingadramaticpart.Butshe'sreallyaveryprettygirl,andIthinkshelovesthatmanJenningsverymuch.Ithinkthatbetweenyouyou'llbeabletosavehermanfromgettinghanged."
"We'venoproofofanykind,"saidColonelMelroseheavily.
MrQuinsmiled."MrSatterthwaitehas."
"I?"MrSatterthwaitewasastonished.
MrQuinwenton."You'vegotaproofthatthat.w.a.tchwasn'tsmashedinSirJames'spocket.Youcan'tsmashawatchlikethatwithoutopeningthecase.Justtryitandsee.Someonetookthewatchoutandopenedit,setbackthehands,smashedthegla.s.s,andthenshut.i.tandput.i.tback.Theynevernoticedthatafragmentofgla.s.swasmissing."
"Oh!"criedMrSatterthwaite.Hishandflewtohiswaistcoatpocket.Hedrewoutafragmentofcurvedgla.s.s.
Itwas.h.i.+smoment.
"Withthis,"saidMrSatterthwaiteimportantly,"Ishallsaveamanfromdeath."
