"I heard the sound of a whistle," said he, with a rich Irish accent. "Is anything the matter?"
Nanon looked toward Ashton-Kirk as though expecting him to answer; he came forward.
"How are you?" said he. "Will you come in?"
The policeman did so. He was a huge-chested and heavy-limbed fellow, and had a head of fiery red hair. He surveyed Ashton-Kirk with a grin upon his good-natured face.
"Oh, hello," said he. "So it's you, is it? I noticed you the other day with Osborne while I was keeping the gate, outside."
"Sure enough," said the secret agent; "so you were."
"I was on the corner beyant, there," went on the red-haired giant, "and divil the thing was I expecting when the blast of the whistle struck me two ears. Sure, there's seldom anything happens in the place; it's like a graveyard, faith; and to have a thing like that go off all of a sudden fair took my breath."
"It was a call for a man whom I thought was close by," explained the secret agent, as the old woman left them together in the library.
The policeman winked with much elaboration.
"I see, I see," said he. "A friend wid a good eye and a careful manner. Sure, it's meself who's seen him often enough of late; but I thought he was a headquarters man put here by Osborne."
"You say you were standing on the corner when you heard the whistle," said he.
"There do be a convenient doorway there," smiled the policeman, "and it's often enough I stop there. Sorra the bit of use is there to go pounding about the edges of such a beat as this. A man might as well make himself quiet and easy."
"The best part of a half hour," he ventured, at last.
"Did you notice any one go by in that time?"
"There was one postman," said the officer, "a couple of milkmen going to the depot, McGlone's barkeeper on his way to open up for the early gas-house trade--and--yes, there was a girl."
"Rather a nice sort--dressed well and wearing a veil. And it's a hurry she was in, for she turned the corner almost at a run."
"It is not likely that you paid any further attention to her?"
"Well," replied the red-haired policeman, "maybe at any other time I wouldn't have. But you see, I had my old pipe going in a comfortable kind of a way, and was rather wide awake. Then, the queerness of the hour, and the hurry she was in, made me step out of the doorway and gaze after her."