He dreaded the next question which Durrance would put to
him. He filled his pipe, pondering what answer he should make to it. But
Durrance put no question at all for the moment.
"I wondered," he said slowly. "I thought that Abou Fatma would hardly
return to Berber. For, indeed, whoever undertook the job undertook it at
the risk of his life, and, since Gordon was dead, for no very obvious
reason."
"Quite so," said Willoughby, in a voice of relief. It seemed that
Durrance's curiosity was satisfied with the knowledge that Abou Fatma
had not recovered the letters. "Quite so. Since Gordon was dead, for no
reason."
"For no obvious reason, I think I said," Durrance remarked
imperturbably. Willoughby turned and glanced suspiciously at his
companion, wondering whether, after all, Durrance knew of his visit to
Kingsbridge and its motive. Durrance, however, smoked his cigar, leaning
back in his chair with his face tilted up towards the ceiling. He
seemed, now that his curiosity was satisfied, to have lost interest in
the history of the Gordon letters. At all events, he put no more
questions upon that subject to embarrass Captain Willoughby, and indeed
there was no need that he should.
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