Part 10 (2/2)
”Vail? Who's he?”
”One of our tenants. He lives on the tenth floor. He came in and I took him up----”
”And came right down again?”
”Yes; and when I got down, I saw the--the heap in the lobby.”
”You knew at once who it was?”
”Not who it was, but I saw it was a man, evidently knocked down, or fallen in a fit,--as I thought. So I ran to see, and--I've told you the rest.”
”What time was all this?”
”It was twenty minutes after two.”
”When you found him?”
”When I found him.”
”How do you know so certainly?”
”I'm--I'm fond of detective work, and I thought there'd be some in this matter, and so, I did everything I could think of to help along.”
”Oho, fond of detective work, are you? What have you done in that line?”
”Nothing! I didn't mean practically. But, well, theoretically. You see, I've read a great many detective stories----”
”Yes; you were reading one this evening? Where is it? Let me see it.”
Slightly embarra.s.sed at Corson's manner, Bob got the book and pa.s.sed it over.
”'Murder Will Out.' H'm----Say, Mr. Bates, do you know where your uncle spent the evening?”
”I do not.” Richard was not at all pleased with Corson's way, and he had turned sullen.
”No idea? Have you, Miss Prall?”
”I've an idea, but I suppose you want only definite statements. Such I cannot give.”
”Well, well, what _do_ you know about it? Remember, evasion or refusal to answer is by no means a point in your favor.”
”What! Are you implying there's anything in my disfavor? Am I being questioned as a possible suspect?”
”Lord, no, madam! Don't jump at conclusions.”
”She didn't!” put in Eliza Gurney. ”Seems to me you're an addlepated young fellow for a detective.”
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