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He asked her to sit down, and she did so, crossing her legs in a ma
“Mlle Bo
“Yes, indeed-le pauvre m’sieu!”
“I gave you my name when I came in-Inspector Abbott. I am a police officer from London. Since Mr. Field was staying in this house, you will, I am sure, understand that I should like to ask you a few questions.”
“But yes, m’sieu.” Her voice was soft. She was all compliance.
“Mr. Field was here how long?”
“On Tuesday evening he arrives here at half past six-seven-I do not know. He sees Miss A
“Who told you that?”
She made a slight gesture with her hands. They were well kept, the nails bright with polish.
“It is known. Besides-” She flashed him a look that promised, tantalized, and withdrew.
“He didn’t dine here that evening?”
“No, he went out again. He is to dine at Cliff Edge where he has friends. Later when di
“Yes. I’d like to come back to Tuesday evening. Had you ever seen Mr. Field before?”
“Me, m’sieu? But no!”
“Heard of him?”
She shook her head.
“But no, m’sieu!”
“Then how did you know, right away on that very first evening, that he was an old friend of Miss A
She looked up startled, wary. Then she smiled.
“It is very simple, m’sieu. As I said, it is known. And besides-I came past the door when they were talking. It was evident that they were not talking as strangers.”
She found herself confused under his glance. Blue eyes should be smiling eyes, but his were as cold and pale as the shadows on ice. He said in a voice as chilly as his look,
“You listened.”
“But no, m’sieu! I would not do such a thing!”
His smile was not a reassuring one.
“You happened to hear. These old houses are quite solidly built. Suppose you tell me just how you happened to hear.”
“M’sieu doubts my word?”
“M’sieu doesn’t think you could have heard anything to speak of through that rather solid door.”
“I did not say that it was shut!”
“Oh, it was open?”
“Evidently, since I could hear what Miss A
“And what did Miss A
Her breast heaved.
“Why should I tell you? If you do not believe my word, why should you believe what I say?”
“I don’t promise that I will. I should like to hear how the door came to be open when Miss A
The very smooth white skin became slightly tinged with red. The lashes lifted to disclose a flash of anger. She said in a voice that was no longer as quiet and demure as it had been,
“Does one lie because one does not tell everything at once?”
His light glance dwelt on her.
“I don’t know-does one?”
When a girl is angry she will sometimes tell the truth. She was certainly angry. He wondered if she was going to tell it now.
“Then I will tell you! And it will be the truth that I shall tell! If you do not believe me, it will be because you are stupid, and that will not be my fault! On the Tuesday night when I was coming into the hall, there was Mrs. Burkett going into this room where Miss A
“Mlle Bo
“She said, m’sieu-and it was not only I who heard her, but Mrs. Burkett who is the niece of your friend Miss Silver-she said, speaking to Mr. Field, ‘I could kill you for that!’ ”
Frank Abbott has been considered to bear a very strong resemblance to the portrait of his grandmother, the late Lady Evelyn Abbott, whose cold and formidable temper had made her disliked and feared by a large family circle. Cousins would hasten to say that the likeness was more in feature than in fact, and that in spite of it he really had quite a number of human feelings, but when, as at this moment, his features sharpened and the blue of his eyes went pale and cold he could produce a very similar effect. He thought Marie Bo
He turned a chilly stare upon Marie Bo
“One of those remarks to which it is difficult to find the correct answer. May I ask what Mr. Field said in reply?”
“But he said nothing, m’sieu. It is all so quick. Mrs. Burkett opens the door, I hear Miss A
Frank Abbott considered. Mrs. Burkett would certainly have repeated what she had heard to Miss Silver. He could check up on this girl’s story. But just why had she told it to him? There were a number of reasons-the simplest a desire to get herself into the lime-light. Others-a grudge against Miss A
He asked sharply, “Why do you dislike Miss A
She opened her eyes widely. They were not anything particular either in shape or colour, but she could do tricks with them. This one registered i
“But, m’sieu-”
“I know-you don’t dislike her, you never thought of such a thing, and all that. But you don’t really like her very much, do you? Suppose you tell me why. Is she strict-harsh- particular about little things like perquisites? You needn’t be afraid of telling me. She doesn’t look as if she would be too easy, and I won’t pass it on.”
He smiled, and after a moment she smiled too. Her lashes fell.
“But, m’sieu, I do not dislike Miss A
“How long have you been here?”
She shrugged again.
“In England -ten years. In this house four months. The money is good. When I have saved enough I shall go home to France.”
“And you do not dislike Miss A
“No, m’sieu.”
Spite is a thing that is difficult to conceal. It had been apparent from the first word she spoke. It came to him that he had asked Miss Silver what she thought of Marie Bo