Part 3 (1/2)
”Yet you were up late last night, and awoke feeling sleepy and tired.”
”Yes.” The Amba.s.sador nodded. ”That is true.”
”Is there any other door to the bedroom?”
”None, except that which opens into my bath. The bathroom has no windows. It is an inside room.”
”And the bedroom?”
”It has two windows, facing upon the adjoining property. There is quite thirty feet of s.p.a.ce between the two buildings and the windows are at least twenty-five feet from the ground.”
”What room is above?”
”A guest's chamber, unused and locked.”
Duvall rose and began to stride up and down the room, chewing viciously upon his unlighted cigar. ”After you finished questioning the man, what did you do then?”
”I searched his room thoroughly, and made him turn out the contents of his pockets, his trunk and bureau drawers.”
”And you found--?”
”Nothing. That was before noon to-day. Since then, I have kept the man locked in his room, awaiting your coming. One of the other servants has remained on guard outside his door ever since.”
”You did not, then, notify the police?”
”No. The matter is one that, for reasons of my own, I do not wish to become public.”
”Has anything been heard from your prisoner since this morning?”
”Yes. He asked for pen and ink about one o'clock this afternoon. I went up to see him, to find out why he wanted them. He seemed deeply affected, was almost in tears, and apparently afraid to meet my gaze. He said he wished to write a note, breaking an engagement he had had for this afternoon. He usually had Wednesday afternoons off. I permitted him to write the letter.”
Duvall began to show signs of deep interest on hearing this. ”Where is it?” he exclaimed.
”What, monsieur?” The Amba.s.sador evidently did not follow him.
”The letter.”
”I sent it, of course.”
”But you read it first?”
”Yes. It was addressed to a man named Seltz, Oscar Seltz, if I recollect correctly, at a barber shop in Piccadilly Circus, which, as you know, is close by. This fellow Seltz was a friend of Noel's. I have several times heard him speak of him. They were accustomed to spend their afternoons off together, I understand.”
”And the note?” asked Duvall, impatiently. ”What did it say?”
”Merely that Noel was unable to keep his appointment for that afternoon, and did not expect to see his friend again before his departure. Seltz must have been planning some trip. The letter, as I remember, was quite cool, almost unfriendly in its tone.”
Duvall glanced at his watch. ”This was about one o'clock you say?”
”Yes. The matter has no significance. We are wasting our time discussing it.”