II

As they left the bar, they were accosted by a small boy of about nine yearsold. He burst immediately into excited speech.

“I say, are you the detectives? I’m Peter Carmody. It was my grand-father, Mr. Jefferson, who rang up the police about Ruby. Are you fromScotland Yard? You don’t mind my speaking to you, do you?”

Colonel Melchett looked as though he were about to return a short an-swer, but Superintendent Harper intervened. He spoke benignly andheartily.

“That’s all right, my son. Naturally interests you, I expect?”

“You bet it does. Do you like detective stories? I do. I read them all, andI’ve got autographs from Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie and DicksonCarr and H. C. Bailey. Will the murder be in the papers?”

“It’ll be in the papers all right,” said Superintendent Harper grimly.

“You see, I’m going back to school next week and I shall tell them all thatI knew her—really knew her well.”

“What did you think of her, eh?”

Peter considered.

“Well, I didn’t like her much. I think she was rather a stupid sort of girl.

Mum and Uncle Mark didn’t like her much either. Only Grandfather.

Grandfather wants to see you, by the way. Edwards is looking for you.”

Superintendent Harper murmured encouragingly:

“So your mother and your Uncle Mark didn’t like Ruby Keene much?

Why was that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. She was always butting in. And they didn’t likeGrandfather making such a fuss of her. I expect,” said Peter cheerfully,“that they’re glad she’s dead.”

Superintendent Harper looked at him thoughtfully. He said: “Did youhear them—er—say so?”

“Well, not exactly. Uncle Mark said: ‘Well, it’s one way out, anyway,’ andMums said: ‘Yes, but such a horrible one,’ and Uncle Mark said it was nogood being hypocritical.”

The men exchanged glances. At that moment a respectable, clean-shaven man, neatly dressed in blue serge, came up to them.

“Excuse me, gentlemen. I am Mr. Jefferson’s valet. He is awake now andsent me to find you, as he is very anxious to see you.”

Once more they went up to Conway Jefferson’s suite. In the sitting roomAdelaide Jefferson was talking to a tall, restless man who was prowlingnervously about the room. He swung round sharply to view the new-comers.

“Oh, yes. Glad you’ve come. My father-in-law’s been asking for you. He’sawake now. Keep him as calm as you can, won’t you? His health’s not toogood. It’s a wonder, really, that this shock didn’t do for him.”

Harper said:

“I’d no idea his health was as bad as that.”

“He doesn’t know it himself,” said Mark Gaskell. “It’s his heart, you see.

The doctor warned Addie that he mustn’t be overexcited or startled. Hemore or less hinted that the end might come any time, didn’t he, Addie?”

Mrs. Jefferson nodded. She said:

“It’s incredible that he’s rallied the way he has.”

Melchett said dryly:

“Murder isn’t exactly a soothing incident. We’ll be as careful as we can.”

He was sizing up Mark Gaskell as he spoke. He didn’t much care for thefellow. A bold, unscrupulous, hawk-like face. One of those men who usu-ally get their own way and whom women frequently admire.

“But not the sort of fellow I’d trust,” the Colonel thought to himself.

Unscrupulous—that was the word for him.

The sort of fellow who wouldn’t stick at anything….