They Found Him Dead Read Online Free PDF

saw himself managing the Australian side of the business. A nice thing that would be!
    They went back to the drawing room. Old Mrs. Kane was looking tired; her face had set into deeply carved lines, and she was making no effort to attend to any of the conversations in progress about her. Agatha Mansell, finding her monosyllabic, had transferred her attention to Rosemary and was lecturing her in a kind, authoritative way on the many improving pursuits she might with profit engage upon. When her husband preceded Silas into the room she looked across at him with a question in her eyes and, upon his slightly shaking his head, got up, announcing that it was growing late.
    With the Mansells went Clive and Betty Pemble, to be followed in a few minutes by the Clement Kanes, Clement having lingered to ask Silas what his decision was on the Australian project. Upon hearing that his cousin disliked it, he said in a dispirited tone: "You may be right. All the same, we might have seen big profits. It's a pity Mansell isn't in a position to advance the necessary capital himself."
    "I fancy you would none of you be so anxious to risk your own money," replied Silas dryly.
    Clement flushed. "I don't think there would be much risk. However, you've a perfect right to refuse, if you feel like that about it. Come, Rosemary; are you ready?"
    Silas escorted them to the front door. Emily roused herself and addressed Jim abruptly: "There's a nasty fog outside. You'd better stay the night."
    He shook his head. "Thanks, Aunt, but I must get back. It isn't thick enough to worry me. Besides, I shall leave it behind me."
    "Don't tell me!" said Emily snappishly. She added: "High time that child was in bed."
    Young Mr. Harte was affronted but stood in too much awe of Emily to expostulate. He was indeed experiencing considerable difficulty in keeping his eyes open.
    "Good Lord, yes!" said Jim, becoming aware of his relative's presence. "You'd better go up, Timothy."
    Mr. Harte said with dignity, and in muted tones, that it was unnecessary for Jim to stick his oar in. He cherished in his bosom a considerable affection for his stepbrother and passionately admired his athletic prowess. He quoted him upon all occasions and acquired reflected glory from retailing his exploits upon the Rugger field or the race track, but would have thought it unseemly to give Jim any cause to suspect this veneration. So when Jim, bidding him farewell, said: "I'm coming down next week," he betrayed no flattering pleasure at these welcome tidings but merely replied that he would try and bear up till then.
    Silas came back into the room as Jim was saying good-bye to his great-aunt. He wore the satisfied expression of a man who has sped the last of his guests, and remarked that he fancied the party had gone off very well.
    "H'm!" said Emily. She looked at him under her brows. "Joe tried to get you to advance money for his harebrained scheme. I hope you sent him off with a flea in his ear. Such nonsense!"
    "I'm afraid Joe and I don't see eye to eye over it," Silas answered. "You off, my boy?"
    "He'd better stay the night. There's a fog."
    "Why, certainly!" Silas agreed. "But it's only a bit of a mist, Mother. Nothing to alarm anyone. I shall take my usual walk."
    "You still stick to that, sir?" Jim said, smiling.
    "If I didn't I should not enjoy a wink of sleep all night," replied Silas. "Wet or fine, I must have my stroll before going to bed."
    "Fiddle!" said Emily in an exasperated voice. "If you didn't think you had insomnia you'd sleep the clock round! I don't have insomnia: why should you?"
    "Indeed, I wish I knew," said Silas.
    "One of these days you'll catch your death of cold. Don't say I didn't warn you! Miss Allison, be kind enough to ring the bell! I'm tired."
    Jim Kane lingered until the business of assisting Emily into the carrying chair was accomplished and contrived, while the butler and footman were bearing her up the shallow staircase, to exchange a few final words with