"The
insurance gent told Piper as what 'e was not entirely satisfied, and 'e
said as 'e'd be pleased to see Piper any time if anything 'appened as
could throw further light on the Colonel's death. 'An extraordinary
occurrence'--that's what the insurance people's gentleman called it, Mrs.
Crofton--'an extraordinary occurrence.'"
And then Enid was stung into saying a very unwise thing. "The Coroner did
not think it an extraordinary occurrence," she said quietly.
"'E says sometimes as what 'e ought to give 'imself up and say what 'e
saw," went on Mrs. Piper with seeming irrelevance.
There was another brief pause: "If you 'aven't got five hundred pounds,
Modam, I take it the insurance money has not yet been paid, for it was a
matter of two thousand pounds--or so Piper understood from that party
what came down to make enquiries."
Enid Crofton looked at her torturer dumbly. She did not know what to
say--what to admit, and what to deny.
"Think it over," said the terrible little woman. "We're not in a 'urry to
a day or two. We'll give you a fortnight to find the money."
She put her hand, fat, yet claw-like, on Mrs. Crofton's shoulder.
"There's nothing to look so frightened about," she said a little gruffly.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243