{"product_id":"2940013750333","title":"The Loring Mystery","description":"The clock of St. Clement Danes was chiming the hour of eleven as Mr.\u003cbr\u003eGillespie, folding up the brief which had engaged his attention all the\u003cbr\u003eevening, yawned, drained the last of his toddy and rose to betake\u003cbr\u003ehimself to bed; indeed he had just taken up his chamber candle and was\u003cbr\u003ein the act of extinguishing the candelabrum upon the table when he\u003cbr\u003epaused and stood staring beneath puckered brows as a sudden knocking\u003cbr\u003esounded upon the outer door.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor maybe a full minute Mr. Gillespie stood, his lank figure stooped a\u003cbr\u003elittle forward, eyes fixed, grim lips close-set, listening to this soft\u003cbr\u003eyet very persistent rapping; then he crossed the cosy room to a bureau\u003cbr\u003ein a corner and opening a drawer took thence a ponderous horse-pistol;\u003cbr\u003ethus armed he reached for the candle and approached the front door, his\u003cbr\u003eage-worn slippers flip-flapping resolutely over the uneven flooring.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Hullo!\" cried he loudly, \"Who is there?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere a hoarse murmur from beyond the stout oak.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Who is it?\" he demanded, \"You must speak up!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt this, the voice waxed louder and hoarser; whereupon Mr. Gillespie,\u003cbr\u003eas if reassured, set his unwieldy weapon upon the floor and proceeded\u003cbr\u003eto draw bolts, loose chains, unbar and turn massive key; whereupon the\u003cbr\u003eheavy door swung open to discover a shortish, thick-set man who beamed\u003cbr\u003eand blinked upon Mr. Gillespie from the shadow of a hat extremely\u003cbr\u003eshaggy as to nap and wide as to brim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You keeps yourself werry partickler secure, Mr. Gillespie sir!\" said\u003cbr\u003ehe, touching hat-brim with the knob of a stout and remarkably knobby\u003cbr\u003estick.  \"Ay, secure is the vord, sir, v'ich ain't to be vondered at\u003cbr\u003econ-sidering that you, like me, are a objec' o' windictiveness to the\u003cbr\u003ewicious and per-werted, sir----\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Ha, Shrig--confound it all!\" exclaimed Mr. Gillespie reproachfully,\u003cbr\u003e\"What i' the name o' reason should bring you down on me at this time o'\u003cbr\u003enight?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Business, Mr. Gillespie sir,--and Capital business at that!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Capital business, Shrig----?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Vith a capital C, sir.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Ha, d'ye mean--Murder?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"As ever vas, sir.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Why then, step in, man, step in and let me fasten the door ... though\u003cbr\u003eyou might ha' chosen a better time----\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"V'ich, sir, I vould take the liberty to remark, the better the deed\u003cbr\u003ethe better the hour, for this here is a murder as should inter-est you\u003cbr\u003eoncommon, sir!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Hum!\" quoth Mr. Gillespie dubiously; and, having shot the last bolt,\u003cbr\u003eled the way into his small, comfortable parlour and motioned his\u003cbr\u003evisitor to be seated.  Mr. Shrig forthwith drew the second elbow-chair\u003cbr\u003eto the hearth, in doing which he dropped his hat, which gave forth a\u003cbr\u003emetallic clang.","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47163114914032,"sku":"2940013750333","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013750333_p0.jpg?v=1763589755","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013750333","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}