“You were with them in Tommy’s Restaurant. You were playing poker with
them.”
If I had thought to abash him, I had made a mistake.
“Yes,” he said, with his quiet, kindly smile. “It was all I could do
for you, my boy. I kept the three scoundrels engaged, hoping you might
escape in the meantime, and as events transpired, you succeeded in
doing so. I understand that some of the priests do mix with the men
upon their stations, and play cards with them, in order that they may
get into closer touch. I chose that place because it happened to be
well away from Gull, and I was the less likely to be noticed. It was
somewhat of a strain to sustain my character before men who know me
as myself, but as you managed to escape, I am amply rewarded for the
endeavour.”
My reasoning powers fell to pieces. Both MacCaskill and I had
recognised Redpath in the gambling compartment, because he was sitting
in the light, with his hat off, and we could see the upper part of
his face. The mere fact of his being shut up with Olaffson and the
two sailors was sufficient proof for us. The man could hardly want to
deceive his own confederates. My disgust at the impudence of the lie
gave me courage to say:
“You tell me that you were playing poker with the men, while they never
knew who you were?”
“My dear fellow!”--he had a superior, yet pleasant, way of saying
this--“of course they knew. They still believe, all three of them, that
I am the Reverend Gabriel Lacombe, head of the upland mission of Three
Points, a very worthy priest, although sufficiently worldly to take a
well-earned holiday--shall we say gold-hunting?”