"I should always fire the first shot in the air," Ruthven Smith went on,
"unless directly threatened."
"Lucky for me," replied the other. "I don't want to die yet. And it would
have been hard lines, as I was trying to do you a good turn: rid you of a
thief if there were one. But I suppose you or some servant must have left
the light on in your room."
"I'm pretty sure I didn't," said Ruthven Smith, still speaking with the
nervousness of a suspicious man, yet at the same time slowly, half
reluctantly, pocketing his pistol. "We must find out how this happened.
Perhaps there _has_ been a thief----"
"No sign of anything being disturbed in your room," the younger man
assured him. "However, you'd best have a look round. If you like"--and he
laughed a frank-sounding laugh--"I'm quite willing to be searched before
I leave the house, so you can make sure I'm not going off with any
booty."
"Certainly not! Nothing of the kind! I accept your explanation,"
protested Ruthven Smith. He laughed also, though stiffly and with an
effort. "I have no valuables in my luggage--I have brought none with me.
It's not worth my while to open the boxes in my room, as there's nothing
there to tempt a thief.
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