"
"One other matter," remarked Prydale. "We want things kept quiet. We
don't want all the folk of the neighbourhood round about, you know."
"Leave it to me," answered Shepherd. "There'll be me, and these men, and
yourselves--and a pair of grapplin' irons. We'll do it quiet and
comfortable--and we'll do it reight."
"Odd character!" remarked Byner, when he and Prydale went away.
"Useful man--for a job of that sort," said the detective laconically.
"Now then--are we going to let anybody else know what we're after--Mr.
Eldrick or Mr. Collingwood, for instance? Do you want them, or either of
them, to be present?"
"No!" answered Byner, after a moment's reflection. "Let us see what
results. We can let them know, soon enough, if we've anything to tell.
But--what about Pratt?"
"Keeping an eye on him--you mean?" said Prydale. "You said just now that
in your opinion we should find him at his desk."
"Just so--but that's no reason why he shouldn't be looked after tomorrow
morning," answered Byner.
"All right--I'll put a man on to shadow him, from the time he leaves his
lodgings until--until we want him," said the detective. "That is--if we
do want him."
"It will be one of the biggest surprises I ever had in my life if we
don't!" asserted Byner. "I never felt more certain of anything than I do
of finding Parrawhite's body in that pit!"
It was this certainty which made Byner appear extraordinarily cool and
collected, when next day, about noon, he walked into Eldrick's private
room, where Collingwood was at that moment asking the solicitor what was
being done.
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