"
"Did he take it from your cellar?" asked Lucia, too shattered to feel
resentment, but still capable of intense curiosity.
"No: he had a standing order from me to order any little things he
might want from my tradesmen. I wish I had my bills sent in every
week."
"Yes, dear," said Lucia.
Georgie's eyes sought hers.
"I saw him buy the first bottle," he said. "I remember telling you
about it. It was at Rush's"
Peppino gathered up his hammer and chisel.
"Well, it's no use sitting here and thinking of old times," he
observed. "I shall ring up the police-station and put the whole matter
into their hands, as far as I am concerned. They'll soon lay hands on
him, and he can do his postures in prison for the next few years."
"But we don't know that it was he who committed all these burglaries
yet," said Lucia.
No one felt it was worth answering this, for the others had all tried
and convicted him already.
"I shall do the same," said Georgie.
"My tankard," said Mrs Quantock. Lucia got up.
_"Peppino mio,"_ she said, "and you, Georgie, and you, Daisy, I
want you before you do anything at all to listen to me for five
minutes. Just consider this. What sort of figure shall we all cut if we
put the matter into the hands of the police? They will probably catch
him, and it will all come out that we have been the dupes of a
curry-cook. Think what we have all been doing for this last month,
think of our classes, our exercises, our--everything.
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