Page:The Black Camel (IA blackcamel0000earl).djvu/315

affair. Innocently so, of course, but none the less responsible. I ought never to have told her—but I wanted a witness. If only I had kept my discovery to myself.”

“The man who looks back sees his mistakes piled up behind,” Chan nodded.

“But I never dreamed Anna would lose her head like that. These women, Inspector.”

“They are primitive creatures, these women.”

“So it would seem. Anna has always been a strange, silent, unfriendly person. But there was one bond between us—we both loved Denny. When she proved last night how desperately she loved him—well, I couldn’t betray her. Instead I fought my duel with you. Fought to the limit of my ability—and lost.” He held out his hand.

Chan took it. “Only the churlish are mean-spirited in victory,” he remarked.

The policeman in uniform looked through the curtains.

“Right with you, Spencer,” said the Chief. “Mr. Tarneverro, you'd better come along. I'll talk to the Prosecutor about you. But you needn’t be alarmed. We're not inclined to spend much money over here on chance visitors from the mainland.”

Tarneverro bowed. “You're very encouraging.”

“You got your car, Charlie?” the Chief asked.

“I have it,” Chan told him.

The Chief and Tarneverro went into the hall, and presently Charlie heard the front door slam.

He stood for a moment looking about him at the bright room where his work was pau at last. Then, sighing ponderously, he stepped through the curtains