"But the blood?Surely there must have been some show of blood?""They say not.No one noticed any.Not till the doctor came -her doctor who was happily in his office in this very building.He saw the drops,and uttered the first suggestion of murder.""How long after was this?Is there any one who has ventured to make an estimate of the number of minutes which elapsed from the time she fell,to the moment when the doctor first raised the cry of murder?""Yes.Mr.Slater,the assistant manager,who was in the lobby at the time,says that ten minutes at least must have elapsed.""Ten minutes and no blood!The weapon must still have been there.
Some weapon with a short and inconspicuous handle.I think they said there were flowers over and around the place where it struck?""Yes,great big scarlet ones.Nobody noticed -nobody looked.Apanic like that seems to paralyse people."
"Ten minutes!I must see every one who approached her during those ten minutes.Every one,Sweetwater,and I must myself talk with Miss Clarke.""You will like her.You will believe every word she says.""No doubt.All the more reason why I must see her.Sweetwater,someone drew that weapon out.Effects still,have their causes,notwithstanding the new cult.The question is who?We must leave no stone unturned to find that out.""The stones have all been turned over once."
"By you?
"Not altogether by me."
"Then they will bear being turned over again.I want to be witness of the operation.""Where will you see Miss Clarke?
"Wherever she pleases -only I can't walk far.""I think I know the place.You shall have the use of this elevator.
It has not been running since last night or it would be full of curious people all the time,hustling to get a glimpse of this place.
But they'll put a man on for you."
"Very good;manage it as you will.I'll wait here till you're ready.
Explain yourself to the lady.Tell her I'm an old and rheumatic invalid who has been used to asking his own questions.I'll not trouble her much.But there is one point she must make clear to me."Sweetwater did not presume to ask what point,but he hoped to be fully enlightened when the time came.
And he was.Mr.Gryce had undertaken to educate him for this work,and never missed the opportunity of giving him a lesson.The three met in a private sitting-room on an upper floor,the detectives entering first and the lady coming in soon after.As her quiet figure appeared in the doorway,Sweetwater stole a glance at Mr.Gryce.He was not looking her way,of course;he never looked directly at anybody;but he formed his impressions for all that,and Sweetwater was anxious to make sure of these impressions.There was no doubting them in this instance.Miss Clarke was not a woman to rouse an unfavourable opinion in any man's mind.Of slight,almost frail build,she had that peculiar animation which goes with a speaking eye and a widely sympathetic nature.Without any substantial claims to beauty,her expression was so womanly and so sweet that she was invariably called lovely.
Mr.Gryce was engaged at the moment in shifting his cane from the right hand to the left,but his manner was never more encouraging or his smile more benevolent.
"Pardon me,"he apologised,with one of his old-fashioned bows,"I'm sorry to trouble you after all the distress you must have been under this morning.But there is something I wish especially to ask you in regard to the dreadful occurrence in which you played so kind a part.You were the first to reach the prostrate woman,Ibelieve."
"Yes.The boys jumped up and ran towards her,but they were frightened by her looks and left it for me to put my hands under her and try to lift her up.""Did you manage it?"
"I succeeded in getting her head into my lap,nothing more.""And sat so?"
"For some little time.That is,it seemed long,though I believe it was not more than a minute before two men came running from the musicians'gallery.One thinks so fast at such a time -and feels so much.""You knew she was dead,then?"
"I felt her to be so."
"How felt?"
"I was sure -I never questioned it."
"You have seen women in a faint?"
"Yes,many times."
"What made the difference?Why should you believe Miss Challoner dead simply because she lay still and apparently lifeless?
"I cannot tell you.Possibly,death tells its own story.I only know how I felt.""Perhaps there was another reason?Perhaps,that,consciously or unconsciously,you laid your palm upon her heart?"Miss Clarke started,and her sweet face showed a moment's perplexity.
"Did I?"she queried,musingly.Then with a sudden access of feeling,"I may have done so,indeed,I believe I did.My arms were around her;it would not have been an unnatural action.""No;a very natural one,I should say.Cannot you tell me positively whether you did this or not?""Yes,I did.I had forgotten it,but I remember now."And the glance she cast him while not meeting his eye showed that she understood the importance of the admission."I know,"she said,"what you are going to ask me now.Did I feel anything there but the flowers and the tulle?No,Mr.Gryce,I did not.There was no poniard in the wound."Mr.Gryce felt around,found a chair and sank into it.
"You are a truthful woman,"said he."And,"he added more slowly,"composed enough in character I should judge not to have made any mistake on this very vital point.""I think so,Mr.Gryce.I was in a state of excitement,of course;but the woman was a stranger to me,and my feelings were not unduly agitated.""Sweetwater,we can let my suggestion go in regard to those ten minutes I spoke of.The time is narrowed down to one,and in that one,Miss Clarke was the only person to touch her.""The only one,"echoed the lady,catching perhaps the slight rising sound of query in his voice.
