We got very friendly. Pity I had to leave the thing for my
wedding. But I came back after a week.'
'Yes, that he did, sir,' said Lily proudly, 'and insisted on it.'
'I soon knew they were going to burglarize this flat to get some
phonograph records.'
'Phonograph records!' Hugo repeated, pondering.
'Yes, sir; and so I thought I'd be beforehand with 'em.'
'Why didn't you tell me directly you knew?'
'You gave me that Gaboriau book to read, sir, and I learnt a lot from
it. It's put me up to a power of things. And, amongst others, that two
people can't manage one job. One job, one man.'
'You'll excuse Albert, sir,' said Lily; 'that's only his way of
talking.'
'It was simply this, sir. I found out enough to make me as sure as eggs
is eggs that you'd like to have those phonograph records yourself,
without having to inquire too much where they came from or how they
came.'
'I see.'
'Exactly, sir. Well, to cut a long story short, sir, I happened to come
across something yesterday that made me think that the annual sale was
going to be interfered with by parties unknown. But I'd got all I could
manage, and I left that alone; I'd no time for it. And last night
parties unknown tried to break my leg for me with an open cellar-flap.
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