Chapter XVIt was next day that Charles Moray walked into Miss Silver’s office by appointment. The exercise-book with his name lay open before her. The pages had been written on in a small neat hand.
Miss Silver sat upright and knitted. She appeared to have finished the grey stocking he had seen last time and to have embarked on a second one, for only about three inches of dark grey ribbing depended from the steel needles. She nodded to Charles in an absent way and let him take a seat and say ‘Good-morning’ before she opened her lips. Then she said,
‘It is a great pity you did not come to me before.’
‘Why, Miss Silver?’
Miss Silver heaved a gentle, depressed little sigh.
‘It is a pity. You would like to hear my report? I will begin with Jaffray.’
‘Jaffray?’
‘The man you wished me to
