Part 16 (1/2)

”I can scarcely credit such a foolish thing myself,” said Viner.

”But--where is the diamond?”

”Perhaps you'll find it tomorrow,” suggested Armitstead. ”The man would be sure to have some place in his house where he kept his valuables. I shall be curious to hear.”

”Are you staying in town?” inquired Viner.

”I shall be at the Hotel Cecil for a fortnight at least,” answered Armitstead. ”And if I can be of any use to you or Mr. Pawle, you've only to ring me up there. You've no doubt yourself, I think, that the unfortunate fellow Hyde is innocent?”

”None!” said Viner. ”No doubt whatever! But--the police have a strong case against him. And unless we can find the actual murderer, I'm afraid Hyde's in a very dangerous position.”

”Well,” said Armitstead, ”in these cases, you never know what a sudden and unexpected turn of events may do. That man with the m.u.f.fler is the chap you want to get hold of--I'm sure of that!”

Viner went home and dined with his aunt and their two guests, Hyde's sisters, whom he endeavoured to cheer up by saying that things were developing as favourably as could be expected, and that he hoped to have good news for them ere long. They were simple souls, pathetically grateful for any sc.r.a.p of sympathy and comfort, and he strove to appear more confident about the chances of clearing this unlucky brother than he really felt. It was his intention to go round to Number Seven during the evening, to deliver Mr. Pawle's message to Miss Wickham, but before he rose from his own table, a message arrived by Miss Wickham's parlour-maid--would Mr. Viner be kind enough to come to the house at once?

At this, Viner excused himself to his guests and hurried round to Number Seven, to find Miss Wickham and Mrs. Killenhall, now in mourning garments, in company with a little man whom Viner at once recognized as a well-known tradesman of Westbourne Grove--a florist and fruiterer named Barleyfield, who was patronized by all the well-to-do folk of the neighbourhood. He smiled and bowed as Viner entered the room, and turned to Miss Wickham as if suggesting that she should explain his presence.

”Oh, Mr. Viner!” said Miss Wickham, ”I'm so sorry to send for you so hurriedly, but Mr. Barleyfield came to tell us that he could give some information about Mr. Ashton, and as Mr. Pawle isn't available, and I don't like to send for a police-inspector, I thought that you, perhaps--”

”To be sure!” said Viner. ”What is it, Mr. Barleyfield?”

Mr. Barleyfield, who had obviously attired himself in his Sunday raiment for the purposes of his call, and had further shown respect for the occasion by wearing a black cravat, smiled as he looked from the two ladies to Viner.

”Well, Mr. Viner,” he answered, ”I'll tell you what it is--it may help a bit in clearing up things, for I understand there's a great deal of mystery about Mr. Ashton's death. Now, I'm told, sir, that n.o.body--especially these good ladies--knows nothing about what the deceased gentleman used to do with himself of an evening--as a rule. Just so. Well, you know, Mr. Viner, a tradesman like myself generally knows a good deal about the people of his neighbourhood. I knew Mr. Ashton very well indeed--he was a good customer of mine, and sometimes he'd stop and have a bit of chat with me. And I can tell you where he very often spent an hour or two of an evening.”

”Yes--where?” asked Viner.

”At the Grey Mare Inn, sir,” answered Barleyfield promptly. ”I have often seen him there myself.”

”The Grey Mare Inn!” exclaimed Viner, while Mrs. Killenhall and Miss Wickham looked at each other wonderingly. ”Where is that? It sounds like the name of some village tavern.”

”Ah, but you don't know this part of London as I do, sir!” said Barleyfield, with a knowing smile. ”If you did, you'd know the Grey Mare well enough--it's an inst.i.tution. It's a real old-fas.h.i.+oned place, between Westbourne Grove and Notting Hill--one of the very last of the old taverns, with a tea-garden behind it, and a bar-parlour of a very comfortable sort, where various old fogies of the neighbourhood gather of an evening and smoke churchwarden pipes and tell tales of the olden days--I rather gathered from what I saw that it was the old atmosphere that attracted Mr. Ashton--made him think of bygone England, you know, Mr. Viner.”

”And you say he went there regularly?” asked Viner.

”I've seen him there a great deal, sir, for I usually turn in there for half an hour or so, myself, of an evening, when business is over and I've had my supper,” answered Barleyfield. ”I should say that he went there four or five nights a week.”

”And no doubt conversed with the people he met there?” suggested Viner.

”He was a friendly, sociable man, sir,” said Barleyfield. ”Yes, he was fond of a talk. But there was one man there that he seemed to a.s.sociate with--an elderly, superior gentleman whose name I don't know, though I'm familiar enough with his appearance. Him and Mr.

Ashton I've often seen sitting in a particular corner, smoking their cigars, and talking together. And--if it's of any importance--I saw them talking like that, at the Grey Mare, the very evening that--that Mr. Ashton died, Mr. Viner.”

”What time was that?” asked Viner.

”About the usual time, sir--nine-thirty or so,” replied Barleyfield. ”I generally look in about that time--nine-thirty to ten.”

”Did you leave them talking there?” inquired Viner.