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have a talk。〃
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Chapter XIV
The 〃Cromwell〃 Makes its Last Appearance
You utter idiot；〃 said Roger； half an hour later。 〃Why didn't you tell
me all this sooner？ Good Lord； man； there's some devil's work going
on！〃
〃How the deuce was I to know you knew nothing about it？〃 said
Aubrey impatiently。 〃You'll grant everything pointed against you？ When
I saw that guy go into the shop with his own key； what could I think but
that you were in league with him？ Gracious； man； are you so befuddled
in your old books that you don't see what's going on round you？〃
〃What time did you say that was？〃 said Roger shortly。
〃One o'clock Sunday morning。〃
Roger thought a minute。 〃Yes； I was in the cellar with Bock；〃 he said。
〃Bock barked； and I thought it was rats。 That fellow must have taken an
impression of the lock and made himself a key。 He's been in the shop
hundreds of times； and could easily do it。 That explains the disappearing
Cromwell。 But WHY？ What's the idea？〃
〃For the love of heaven；〃 said Aubrey。 〃Let's get back to Brooklyn as
soon as we can。 God only knows what may have happened。 Fool that I
was； to go away and leave those women all alone。 Triple…distilled lunacy！〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 said Roger； 〃I was the fool to be lured off by a fake
telephone call。 Judging by what you say； Weintraub must have worked
that also。〃
Aubrey looked at his watch。 〃Just after three；〃 he said。
〃We can't get a train till four；〃 said Roger。 〃That means we can't get
back to Gissing Street until nearly seven。〃
〃Call them up；〃 said Aubrey。
They were still in the private office at the rear of Leary's。 Roger was
well…known in the shop； and had no hesitation in using the telephone。 He
lifted the receiver。
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〃Long Distance； please；〃 he said。 〃Hullo？ I want to get Brooklyn；
Wordsworth 1617…W。〃
They spent a sour twenty…five minutes waiting for the connection。
Roger went out to talk with Warner； while Aubrey fumed in the back
office。 He could not sit still； and paced the little room in a fidget of
impatience； tearing his watch out of his pocket every few minutes。 He felt
dull and sick with vague fear。 To his mind recurred the spiteful buzz of
that voice over the wire〃Gissing Street is not healthy for you。〃 He
remembered the scuffle on the Bridge； the whispering in the alley； and the
sinister face of the druggist at his prescription counter。 The whole series
of events seemed a grossly fantastic nightmare； yet it frightened him。 〃If
only I were in Brooklyn；〃 he groaned； 〃it wouldn't be so bad。 But to be
over here； a hundred miles away； in another cursed bookshop； while that
girl may be in troubleGosh！〃 he muttered。 〃If I get through this
business all right I'll lay off bookshops for the rest of my life！〃
The telephone rang； and Aubrey frantically beckoned to Roger； who
was outside； talking。
〃Answer it； you chump！〃 said Roger。 〃We'll lose the connection！〃
〃Nix；〃 said Aubrey。 〃If Titania hears my voice she'll ring off。 She's
sore at me。〃
Roger ran to the instrument。 〃Hullo； hullo？〃 he said； irritably。 〃Hullo；
is that Wordsworth？ Yes； I'm calling BrooklynHullo！〃
Aubrey； leaning over Roger's shoulder； could hear a clucking in the
receiver； and then； incredibly clear； a thin； silver； distant voice。 How well
he knew it！ It seemed to vibrate in the air all about him。 He could hear
every syllable distinctly。 A hot perspiration burst out on his forehead and
in the palms of his hands。
〃Hullo；〃 said Roger。 〃Is that Mifflin's Bookshop？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Titania。 〃Is that you； Mr。 Mifflin？ Where are you？〃
〃In Philadelphia；〃 said Roger。 〃Tell me； is everything all right？〃
〃Everything's dandy；〃 said Titania。 〃I'm selling loads of books。 Mrs。
Mifflin's gone out to do some shopping。〃
Aubrey shook to hear the tiny； airy voice； like a trill of birdsong； like a
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tinkling from some distant star。 He could imagine her standing at the
phone in the back of the shadowy bookshop； and seemed to see her as
though through an inverted telescope； very minute and very perfect。 How
brave and exquisite she was！
〃When are you coming home？〃 she was saying。
〃About seven o'clock；〃 said Roger。 〃Listen； is everything absolutely
O。 K。？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 said Titania。 〃I've been having lots of fun。 I went down
just now and put some coal on the furnace。 Oh； yes。 Mr。 Weintraub came
in a little while ago and left a suitcase of books。 He said you wouldn't
mind。 A friend of his is going to call for them this afternoon。〃
〃Hold the wire a moment；〃 said Roger； and clapped his hand over the
mouthpiece。 〃She says Weintraub left a suitcase of books there to be
called for。 What do you make of that？〃
〃For the love of God； tell her not to touch those books。〃
〃Hullo？〃 said Roger。 Aubrey； leaning over him； noticed that the little
bookseller's naked pate was ringed with crystal beads。
〃Hullo？〃 replied Titania's elfin voice promptly。
〃Did you open the suitcase？〃
〃No。 It's locked。 Mr。 Weintraub said there were a lot of old books in
it for a friend of his。 It's very heavy。〃
〃Look here；〃 said Roger； and his voice rang sharply。 〃This is
important。 I don't want you to touch that suitcase。 Leave it wherever it is；
and DON'T TOUCH IT。 Promise me。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Mifflin。 Had I better put it in a safe place？〃
〃DON'T TOUCH IT！〃
〃Bock's sniffing at it now。〃
〃Don't touch it； and don't let Bock touch it。 Itit's got valuable
papers in it。〃
〃I'll be careful of it；〃 said Titania。
〃Promise me not to touch it。 And another thingif any one calls for it；
don't let them take it until I get home。〃
Aubrey held out his watch in front of Roger。 The latter nodded。