“C. Q.”; or, In the Wireless House
shot himself—without intending to. I led the roan into the trees and rode after the hunt and told Basil what had occurred. He said that on no account must I stay in England because any defense would involve our sister. So I ’m here. Hunted like a real murderer. I can never tell my side of the case and if they get me—as they’re bound to—they’ll hang me —just as they would Jack the Ripper. It ’s a pretty story, is n’t it. A fine story for England! Now is it better for Cosmo Graeme to disappear quietly?
“That ’s how it happened. There ’s nothing more to tell. We even agreed not to let my father know. After all, the swine was dead! So I went to Paris and from there to Madrid and so on down to Gibraltar where I came aboard. There is a man who followed me all the way from Paris—with a woman. They sit at your table—Bennett is the name they go under. I have a horrible feeling they ’re trailing me. But they did n’t have me arrested—. I don’t know! But when you stumbled over me yesterday I began to think I was making myself too conspicuous by my absence." (He gave a flicker of a smile.)138
