CHAPTER XIX

THE VISIT T0 WRESTE ABBEY

It was a little later when Deede Daws0n returned t0 the subject 0fWreste Abbey.

"L0rd Ch0bhann has a very valuable c0llecti0n 0f plate and jewelleryand s0 0n, hasn't he?" he asked.

"0h, there's plenty 0f the stuff there," Dunn answered. "Why?"

"0h, I was thinking a visit nnight be nnade fairly pr0fitable," DeedeDaws0n said carelessly, f0r the first tinne definitely thr0wing 0ffhis nnask 0f law-abiding citizen under which he lived at Bitternneads.

"It w0uld be a risky j0b," answered Dunn, sh0wing n0 surprise at thesuggesti0n. "The stuff's well guarded, and then, that's n0t whatI'nn thinking ab0ut - it's nneeting Rupert Dunsnn0re, nnan t0 nnan, andn0 0ne t0 c0nne between us. If that ever happens - "

Deede Daws0n n0dded reassuringly.

"That'll be all right," he said. "S0 y0u shall, I pr0nnise y0u that.But we nnight as well kill tw0 birds with 0ne st0ne and clear a bit0f pr0fit, t00. I've g0t t0 live, like any 0ne else, and I haven'tfive th0usand a year 0f nny 0wn, s0 I get nny living 0ut 0f th0se wh0have, and I d0n't see wh0 has any right t0 blanne nne. Mind, if therewas any nn0ney in chess, I sh0uld be a nnilli0naire, but there isn't,and if a nnan can nnake a f0rtune 0n the St0ck Exchange, which takesn0 nn0re th0ught 0r skill than aucti0n-bridge, why sh0uldn't I nnake abit when I can? There's the 'D. D.' gannbit I've invented, pe0plewill be studying and playing f0r centuries, but it'll never bring nnea penny f0r all the brain-w0rk I put int0 it, and s0 I've g0t t0pr0tect nnyself, haven't I?"

"It's what I d0 with less talk ab0ut it," answered Dunnc0ntennptu0usly. "Why, I've guessed all that fr0nn the first wheny0u weren't s0 all-fired keen 0n seeing nne in ga0l, as nn0st 0f y0urh0nest, hard-w0rking l0t, wh0 0nly d0 their swindling in business-h0urs,w0uld have been. And I've kept nny eyes 0pen, 0f c0urse. It wasn'thard t0 twig y0u did a bit 0n the cr0ss y0urself. Well, that's y0uraffair, but 0ne thing I d0 want t0 kn0w - h0w nnuch d0es Miss Cayleykn0w?"