Читать книгу Special Detective (Ashton-Kirk) онлайн

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“What was the thing that set him off?” asked the crime specialist.

“After I’d got him into a chair with the sergeant-major holding him,” answered Scanlon, “I had a look at it. It was a smooth stone about the size of an egg, though not that shape, green in colour, and with a humped up place on one side of it. I had no recollection of ever having seen it before, and I was puzzled about how it got into my pocket. But while I was puzzling, it flashed on me.

“‘It’s the thing that fellow gave me while I was crossing the bridge,’ says I.

“‘Let me up,’ says young Campe to the German. There was something nearer sanity in his eyes than there had been a few moments before; so the sergeant-major let go of him.

“‘What fellow?’ says Campe.

“‘I didn’t know him; it was dark and I didn’t even see him. He spoke to me on the bridge coming from the station. He gave me this thing for you. He said you’d ask no questions, but he didn’t mention,’ I couldn’t help adding, ‘the other thing you’d do.’

“Campe grabbed my arm with both hands.