4. THE RECKONING OF HEAVEN
Barry Kirk stood looking about his office; he found it difficult to believe that into this common-place, familiar room, tragedy had found its way. Yet there was that silent figure on the floor, a few moments before so full of life and energy.
“Poor Sir Frederic,” he said. “Only to-day he told me he was near the end of a long trail. Nearer than he dreamed, it appears.” He stopped. “A long trail, Sergeant,—only a few of us know how far back into the past this thing must reach.”
Chan nodded. He had been consulting a huge gold watch; now he snapped shut the case and restored it to his pocket. “Death is the reckoning of heaven,” he remarked. “On this occasion, a most complicated reckoning.”
“Well, what shall we do?” Kirk asked helplessly. “The police, I suppose. B
