The thing was
hushed up. It was a very nasty business. But Knox was telling
us that he had actually seen the lady. Please carry on, Knox,
for I must admit that I am intensely curious."
"I can only say that I saw her on one occasion."
"With Adderley?"
"Undoubtedly."
"Where?"
"At his place at Katong."
"I even thought his place at that resort was something of a
myth," declared Jennings. "He never asked me to go there, but,
then, I took that as a compliment. Pardon the apparent innuendo,
Knox," he added, laughing. "But you say you actually visited the
establishment?"
"Yes," I replied slowly, "I met him here in this very hotel one
evening in the winter of '15, after the natives' attempt to
mutiny. He had been drinking rather heavily, a fact which he was
quite unable to disguise. He was never by any means a real
friend of mine; in fact, I doubt that he had a true friend in the
world. Anyhow, I could see that he was lonely, and as I chanced
to be at a loose end I accepted an invitation to go over to what
he termed his 'little place at Katong.'
"His little place proved to be a veritable palace. The man
privately, or rather, secretly, to be exact, kept up a sort of
pagan state.
Pages:
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318