"Have you heard anything, lately, of the Indians?" he asked.
"I have every reason to believe," I answered, "that one of them had an
interview with me, in my office, yesterday."
Mr. Murthwaite was not an easy man to astonish; but that last answer
of mine completely staggered him. I described what had happened to Mr.
Luker, and what had happened to myself, exactly as I have described it
here. "It is clear that the Indian's parting inquiry had an object," I
added. "Why should he be so anxious to know the time at which a borrower
of money is usually privileged to pay the money back?"
"Is it possible that you don't see his motive, Mr. Bruff?"
"I am ashamed of my stupidity, Mr. Murthwaite--but I certainly don't see
it."
The great traveller became quite interested in sounding the immense
vacuity of my dulness to its lowest depths.
"Let me ask you one question," he said. "In what position does the
conspiracy to seize the Moonstone now stand?"
"I can't say," I answered. "The Indian plot is a mystery to me."
"The Indian plot, Mr. Bruff, can only be a mystery to you, because you
have never seriously examined it. Shall we run it over together, from
the time when you drew Colonel Herncastle's Will, to the time when
the Indian called at your office? In your position, it may be of very
serious importance to the interests of Miss Verinder, that you should
be able to take a clear view of this matter in case of need.
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