"You saw the dagger which Norton brought back, did you not?" asked
Kennedy of Whitney.
"Only as I saw the rest of the stuff after it was unpacked," he
replied easily. "He brought back a great many interesting objects
on this last trip."
It was apparent that whether he actually knew anything about the
secret of the Inca dagger or not, Whitney was not to be trapped
into betraying it. I had an idea that Lockwood was interested in
knowing that fact, too. At any rate, one could not be sure whether
these two were perfectly frank with each other, or were playing a
game for high stakes between themselves.
Lockwood seemed eager to get away and, with a hasty glance at his
watch, rose.
"If you wish to find me, I shall be with Senorita de Mendoza," he
said, taking his hat and stick, and bowing to us.
Whitney rose and accompanied him to the door in the outer office,
his arm on his shoulder, conversing in a low tone that was
inaudible to us.
No sooner, however, had the two passed through the door, with
their backs toward us, than Kennedy reached over quickly and swept
the contents of the ash-tray, cigarette stubs, ashes, and all,
into an empty envelope which was lying with some papers.
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