“Your old boss was doing essential work and could use you.” Luke hardly made it a question. It was the most natural development, the history of thousands of young men who were early casualties in a war of tremendous movement and change. “Where were the Boxer & Coombe works then?”
“Out at Epsom. We only got back here after old Fred died in ’48. I’d just married his only daughter Marion, a nice girl. I’d always liked her. She knows nothing whatever about this story, by the way.”
Luke ducked his chin. He looked most discreet and intelligent.
“And that,” he said presently, “is not all, I take it? Now we arrive at the bit which made you come to see me.”
His eyes were friendly but very sophisticated and they filled with surprise at the other man’s sudden reaction.
“Neither bigamy nor blackm
