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CHAPTER XXIV

GORDON OFFERS THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY[1]

Gordon fell into Reeves' other arm-chair and shouted with laughter. Nothing could be more disagreeable to nerves already jangled. Reeves almost shook him into position, demanding explanations.

"It's all right," he said at last. "You get all the luck, Reeves. Marryatt wasn't listening at the other end of the metaphone. And all the time you were talking through it, it was just a soliloquy."

"Thank God for that! But how did you explain it all? What did you tell him?"

"Oh, I just told him the truth⁠—part of the truth. And you must really get out of that habit of wheezing, because it was your wheezing behind the secret panel that made Marryatt think it was Brotherhood's ghost sitting in your room last night!"

"You mean that's what frightened Marryatt? Why did he run away this morning, then?"

"He thought it was Brotherhood telephoning to him. Lord, what a day!"

"And you've explained everything to him?"

  1. ↑ To the Reader.—This chapter may be omitted if the book be thought too long.

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