"
"And the attics?" asked Deede Dawson. "What did you find there?"
"There wasn't no one in them," Dunn answered. "I only wanted to
make sure the young lady was telling the truth about there being
no servants in the house to sleep."
"Did you look in all the attics, then?" asked Deede Dawson.
"Yes," answered Dunn. "'There was one as was locked, but I tooked
the liberty of forcing it just to make sure. I ain't done no harm
to speak of."
"You found one locked, eh?" said Deede Dawson, and his smile grew
still more pleasant and more friendly. "That must have surprised
you a good deal, didn't it?"
"I thought as perhaps there was some one waiting already to give
the alarm," answered Dunn. "I didn't mind the old lady, but I
couldn't risk there being some one hiding there, so I had to look,
but I ain't done no damage to speak of, I could put it right for
you myself in half-an-hour, sir, if you'll let me."
"Could you, indeed?" said Deede Dawson. "Well, and did you find
any one sleeping there?"
But for that hairy disguise upon his cheeks and chin, Dunn would
almost certainly have betrayed himself, so dreadful did the question
seem to him, so poignant the double meaning that it bore, so clear
his memory of his friend he had found there, sleeping indeed.
But there was nothing to show his inner agitation, as he said,
shaking his head
"There wasn't no one there, any more than in the other attics,
nothing but an old packing-case.
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