Sewell spoke gently. ‘Sit down, Gill. Inspector, this is Mr Gill, my assistant. He has a key and comes and goes at will.’
‘Is it somebody dead?’ Gill persisted, looking now at Manton.
‘Yes, Gill,’ said the Inspector, ‘it is Mr Philip Balfour. As you are here, will you give an account of your own doings this evening? Where have you been since, say, nine o’clock?’
‘Well, no, Inspector; I don’t care to give an account of myself, unless you have reason to demand it. Was Mr Balfour murdered? Or why the Criminal authorities?’
‘Yes, Mr Balfour was stabbed by an unknown assailant.’
‘Gee! Can you find out who did it?’
‘We hope to, and we fully expect to. You are not helping us by your refusal to answer my question.’
‘It wouldn’t help you any if I did answer it. And I haven’t been in this vicinity until just now. I was passing, I saw a light, so I came in. Your henchmen in the front room didn’t want me to pass, but I rather insisted and they gave in. What about it all, Mr Sewell?’
‘Do you know anything about two small mathematical books that are missing from Mr Balfour’s Lewis Carroll collection?’ Sewell said.
‘Sure I do. Want ’em? Here they are.’ He took from his overcoat pocket two small books and handed them to Ramsay.
‘Yes, these are the right ones,’ and Ramsay laid them on the table beside him. ‘Thank you.’
‘What are you doing with them, Gill?’ and John Sewell looked a bit accusing.
‘It’s all right, Guv’nor. Tell you all about it some other time. Of no interest to these uninterested onlookers. Get down to cases. Who killed poor old Balfour?’
‘We’ll find out,’ Burnet told him. ‘Let’s hope it wasn’t you.’
‘Don’t try to get me fussed,’ Gill said; ‘I’d hate to kill anybody. I never have, as yet, and I doubt I ever shall. Did some person or persons unknown kill Mr Balfour? I’ve a right to know about things, haven’t I, Mr Sewell?’
‘Yes, so far as I am concerned. In my opinion, a marauder came here, masked, and stabbed Mr Balfour with our old English skewer. The long silver one. There it is on the table.’
‘I see it,’ and Gill rose and went to the table. ‘Don’t be alarmed, Inspector, I shan’t touch it. What’s going to happen next?’
‘This, for one thing.’ Sewell looked anxious. ‘I want you to look, Gill, and see if that little book that came today is all right.’
Gill went round the room, taking books from the shelves, here and there diving into well-filled chests, opening certain drawers, and camouflaging his real place of search, turned back to his employer, and said:
‘No, Mr Sewell, it is not in the place I left it.’
‘No? That’s bad. Inspector, I am fairly positive that a very valuable book has been stolen from this room. A volume worth, to a collector, perhaps a hundred thousand dollars.’
‘Now, now, Mr Sewell, I’ve heard collectors tell big yarns, but that’s a whale this Jonah finds hard to swallow.’
‘Value it at less, if you choose, but call it one of the most eagerly desired books in America. And now can you bring this session to an end? Or can you excuse me? I am deeply saddened at the tragic death of my friend, but this loss is not unconnected with the case. The book in question was destined for Mr Balfour and it is not impossible that the intruder who stabbed him also stole the book. There you have a motive. But in any case, I want to get busy about finding the volume. If you want to stay here—’
‘On the contrary, I do not want to stay,’ but the Inspector looked perplexed. ‘I think I will let them take Mr Balfour’s body to the morgue, and I myself will go to the Balfour home, and acquaint the family with the facts of the case, in so far as we know them. Mr Ramsay will go with me and, of course, Captain Burnet. What is the family?’
Sewell answered. ‘Only his wife, I think. No one staying there, is there, Ramsay?’
‘No, not just now; they have lots of guests, coming and going, but nobody at present.’
‘There was a chap calling when I was there just now,’ Sewell said, ‘but he’ll most likely be gone.’
‘If not, we’ll chuck him out. Come on, Inspector, let’s go. I want to get some dope on this case. Sergeant Glass, here, will see to the morgue arrangements and he’ll make the report, res gestae evidence and all.’
Captain Burnet’s energy overcame Inspector Manton’s natural inclination toward delay and they were in the elevator, going up to the Balfour apartment, before any word had been said as to who should tell Mrs Balfour of the tragedy.
‘I’d better do it,’ Sewell said, as they walked along the hall. ‘You’re too nervous, Ramsay.’
Keith nodded his head without speaking.
He had his key with him but he preferred to let Burnet ring the bell, which Potter answered.
Sewell stepped forward.
‘We must see Mrs Balfour, Potter,’ he said; ‘give us a room where we can have a conference. The matter is important.’
The butler showed them into a formal reception room and went away.
In a moment Alli was with them.
In a black velvet hostess gown, her only ornament a rope of pearls, she came into the room with a calm composure that only those who knew her best could see was achieved by a desperate effort.
‘What is it?’ she said; ‘I know it is tragedy of some sort. Where is Mr Balfour? Why are the police here? Tell me—’
She moved a step toward Ramsay, but John Sewell stayed her.
‘Sit down, Mrs Balfour,’ he said. ‘It is a tragedy of which we must tell you. And I think it kinder to tell you the frank truth at once. Your husband was at my shop this evening, while I was here, and some mysterious intruder attacked him with a—a sort of dagger—’
‘And killed him—’
She spoke in a low tone, her great dark eyes gazing at him as if she were hypnotized. She sat motionless save for a quiver that shook her slender figure now and then.
‘Yes,’ said the Inspector, who felt this was his scene. ‘We have to bring you this sad news, and I trust you will be willing to answer a few questions that will help us in our search for the criminal.’
‘Of course,’ and her voice suddenly became tense. ‘I know you have to investigate the case at once. I am quite willing to tell you anything I can. Do not be afraid, I shall not break down.’
Sewell looked at her pityingly. He saw she was straining her nerves to retain her composure and he marvelled at her success.
‘You
