Carlo?" I asked.
"No, sir. Once I heard him tell Captain Hamilton that he'd been there,but it isn't since I've been employed by him."
"How long is that?"
"Nine years next May, sir."
"And have you had no holiday?"
"Of course I have, sir. Sometimes a week, sometimes a fortnight; andlast year he gave me a month."
"What time of the year was it?"
"In February. He went up to Aberdeen, and told me there was no need forme to go, and that I could shut up the chambers and have a holiday. Idid, and went down to Norfolk to visit the friends of the girl I'mengaged to."
"And he was gone a month?"
"Yes. A few days over a month."
"You had letters from him, I suppose?" I suggested.
"Only one, about four or five days after he had left."
"Then for aught you know he may have left Aberdeen and gone to MonteCarlo?" I said.
"Of course he may have done, sir. But he told me nothing about it."
"Did you notice anything unusual about his manner when he came back totown?"
"He seemed nervous; especially when I've gone in to him to announce alady visitor. He seemed to fear that some lady would call whom hedidn't want to see."
"But he often took ladies to the Gallery down at the House," I remarked,for Roddy was never so happy as when escorting two or three ladies overthe House, or giving them tea on the long terrace beside the Thames. Hewas essentially a lady's man.
"Yes, sir. But there was one he used to describe to me, and he told meoften that if she ever came I was to tell her that he had left London."
"What was she like?" asked the officer, pricking up his ears.
"Well," replied Ash, after some reflection, "as far as I could make out,she was about twenty or so; very good-looking, and generally dressed inblack. Of course, I never saw her, for she never called."
The description he had given answered exactly to that of Aline. Themystery had become more complicated than I had anticipated. The nextfact to ascertain was the cause of death.
"Why have you made these inquiries regarding Monte Carlo?" the detectiveasked me. "Did he go there?"
"I believe so," I replied. "Of course, it is not proved, but I suspectthat when he went to Aberdeen he afterwards went secretly to theRiviera."
"Why secretly?"
"Ah! that I'm unable to tell," I answered, resolved to keep theknowledge I possessed to myself. But pointing to the card in the frameof the mirror I explained that that was a gambling-card used only atMonte Carlo, and that the figures were in my friend's handwriting.
The officer took it down interestedly, carefully scrutinised it, askedseveral questions regarding it, and then replaced it in the position ithad occupied.
All three of us went to the writing-table, and the officer quicklydiscovered the cheque-book. Opening it he found by the counterfoil thatwhat Ash had said about his cheque for wages was correct, but, further,that another cheque had been torn out after his, and that thecounterfoil remained blank.
"This is suspicious," the detective observed quickly. "It looks verymuch as if there's been a robbery. We must stop the cheque at thebank," and he scribbled down the number of the counterfoil.
"If a robbery has been committed, then my friend has been murdered," Isaid.
"That's more than likely," replied the officer. "The story Ash tells usis certainly remarkable, and increases the mystery. If we can find thislady who made the appointment at King's Cross, we should no doubt learnsomething which might throw some light on the affair. Personally, I aminclined to disbelieve the theory that death has been due to naturalcauses. In view of the facts before us, either suicide or murder seemmuch more feasible theories. Yet we must remember that a man who woulddeliberately send his man out before committing suicide would alsofasten the door. You found it open."
This circumstance had not before occurred to me. Yes, a man whointended to take his own life would not have left the door open.
Ash, hearing our argument, at once declared that he had closed the doorwhen he had gone out. Therefore, it seemed proved that Roddy hadreceived a visitor during the absence of his valet.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
WITHIN GRASP.
Scarcely had we concluded our conversation when the police arrived, andremoved the body to the mortuary, in order that the doctor might makehis examination; then, there being nothing to detain me further in thedead man's chambers, I left in company with the detective, the latterhaving given Ash orders not to disturb a single thing in the rooms. Ifit were proved that the member for South-West Sussex had actually beenmurdered, then another examination of the place would have to be made.
The more I reflected upon the puzzling circumstances, the morebewildering they became.
I called upon two men, close friends of Roddy's, and told them of thesad circumstances of his death; how he had died quite suddenly duringhis man's absence on a commission.
But I had no need to carry the distressing news, for as I passed thecorner of the Haymarket the men selling the evening papers were holdingthe contents bills, whereon were displayed the words in big type,"Mysterious Death of an M.P." Newspapers are ingenious enough not togive away their information by putting the name of the deceased, therebycompelling the public to pay their pennies in order to learn where thevacancy has been caused by the Avenger. Nowadays the breath is scarcelyout of the body of a Parliamentary representative than the paperspublish the figures of the previous elections and comment on thepolitical prospects of the division.
I bought a paper, and there saw beneath the brief announcement ofRoddy's death quite a long account of the political position in hisconstituency, the name of the opposition candidate, and the majority bywhich my friend had been elected. Poor Roddy's death did not appear soimportant to that journal as the necessity of wresting the seat from theGovernment.
Next afternoon the inquest was held at the St James's Vestry Hall, andwas attended by more newspaper reporters than members of the public. Iarrived early and had a chat with the detective Priestly, who hadquestioned Ash, but he told me that nothing further had been discovered.
The usual evidence of identification having been taken, I was called anddescribed the finding of the body. Then the valet Ash was called in andrelated the story which he had already told the detective.
"You have no idea who this lady was whom your master desired to avoid?"the Coroner asked him.
"No," answered the man.
"And as far as you are aware there was no reason for Mr Morgan takinghis life?"
"None. He was exceedingly merry all the morning, whistling to himself,and once or twice joking with me when I waited on him at breakfast."
The doctor was then called, and having given his name and stated hisprofessional qualifications, said--
"When I saw the deceased he was dead. I should think about half an hourhad elapsed since respiration ceased. The room appeared in perfectorder, and there was no sign whatever of foul play. On making a cursoryexamination I found one of the hands contracted, the fingers bent intowards the palm. This morning I made a post-mortem at the mortuary,and on opening the hand I discovered this within it," and from his vestpocket he took a piece of white tissue paper, which he opened.
Every neck was craned in Court to catch sight of what had beendiscovered, and I standing near him saw as he handed it to the Coronerthat it was a tiny piece of soft black chiffon about half an inchsquare, evidently torn from a woman's dress.
The Coroner took it, and then remarked--
"This would appear to prove that the deceased had a visitor immediatelybefore his death, and that his visitor was a lady."
"That is what I surmise," observed the doctor. "My examination hasproved one or two things." There was a stir in Court, followed by adead and eager silence.
"I found no external mark of violence whatsoever," the doctor continuedin a clear tone, "and the clenched hand with the piece of muslin withind
id not point to death from any unnatural cause. The only externalmarks were two very curious ones which are entirely unaccountable. Oneach elbow I found a strange white scar, the remains of some injuryinflicted perhaps a year ago. The eyes, too, were discoloured in amanner altogether unaccountable. On further examination, I found notrace whatever of any organic disease. The deceased was a strongathletic man, and was suffering from no known malady which could haveresulted fatally."
"Did you make an examination of the stomach?" inquired the Coroner.
"I did. Suspecting suicide by poison, I made a most careful analysis,assisted by Dr Leverton, of King's College Hospital, but we failed todiscover any trace of poison