" Then: "Mr. David Brunger himself? I'm afraid that is
impossible, sir. Mr. Brunger has his hands very full just now. He is
closeted with Scotland Yard. At this moment, sir, the Yard is
consulting him ...'m...'m. Well, I'll see, sir, I'll see. I doubt it.
I very much doubt it. But hold the line a minute, sir."
In his capacity of Mr. David Brunger's private secretary, Mr. David
Brunger drank from the carafe of water on the mantelpiece to clear his
tortured throat.
In his capacity of the great detective and confidential inquiry agent
himself, he then stepped to the telephone and, after exhibiting a
power of invention relative to startling crimes in hand that won even
the admiration of Mr. Issy Jago, announced that he would be with Mr.
Marrapit at three o'clock.
"It may be a big job, Issy," he remarked, relighting the stump of
cigarette, "or it may be a little job. But what I say and what I do
is, _impress your client. Impress your client,_ Issy. Let that be your
maxim through life. And if I catch you again takin' a draw at my
cigarette when my back's turned, as I see you just now, I'll damn well
turn you inside out and chuck you through that door. So you watch it.
You've made this smoke taste 'orrid-'orrid. No sauce, now; no sauce."
IV.
By two o'clock the results of Mr.
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