Jon Hagadorn

"'Lads,' he said, "'that's what it is.

"'Lads practicing.

"'Crawling stupid, them young varmints are.

"'Always shooting at birds with no consideration for anyone, "'as they may be on the other side of a hedge.'

"'The doctor thought it a most unlikely solution, "'but he realized that the case would soon be in abler hands, "'and it did not seem worthwhile to make objections.

"'And anyway, who would shoot at birds with a rifle?

"'Not a shotgun.'

"'Name of the deceased?'

asked the sergeant, moistening his pencil.

"'He had a card-case on him,' said the doctor.

"'He appears to have been a Mr. Ronald Devereaux, with an address in the Albany.'

Bundle frowned.

The name Ronald Devereaux awoke some chord of remembrance.

She was sure she'd heard it before.

It was not until she was halfway back to Chimneys in the car that it came to her.

"'Of course.

Ronnie Devereaux.

Bill's friend in the Foreign Office.

He and Bill and—yes, Gerald Wade.'

As this last realization came to her, Bundle nearly went into the hedge.