I was dining here that
night, as you know, with Andrew Wilmore, and while he was
ordering the dinner and talking to some friends, I went down to
the American Bar to have a cocktail. Miss Daisy Hyslop and
Fairfax were seated there alone and talking confidentially.
Fairfax was insisting that Miss Hyslop should do something which
puzzled her. She consented reluctantly, and Fairfax then hurried
off to the theatre. Later on, Miss Hyslop and the unfortunate
young man occupied a table close to ours, and I happened to
notice that she made a point of leaving the restaurant at a
particular time. While they were waiting in the vestibule she
grew very impatient. I was standing behind them and I saw her
glance at the clock just before she insisted upon her companion's
going out himself to look for a taxicab. Ergo, one enquires at
Fairfax's theatre. For that exact three-quarters of an hour he
is off the stage. At that point my interest in the matter
ceases. Scotland Yard was quite capable of the rest."
"Disappointing," Sir Timothy murmured. "I thought at first that
you were over-modest. I find that I was mistaken. It was chance
alone which set you on the right track."
"Well, there is my story, at any rate," Francis declared. "With
how much of your knowledge of the affair are you going to indulge
me?"
Sir Timothy slowly revolved his brandy glass.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108