The Greatest Works of Earl Derr Biggers (Illustrated Edition). Earl Derr Biggers

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СКАЧАТЬ girl slightly under middle height, an authentic blonde, with a sort of startled innocence in her blue eyes.

      "Thank you for coming." The deputy district attorney rose and smiled at the girl in kindly fashion. "I am Miss Morrow, and this is Mr. Charles Chan. And Mr. Barry Kirk."

      "How do you do," said the girl, in a low voice.

      "I wanted to talk with you—I'm from the district attorney's office," Miss Morrow added.

      The girl stared at her, an even more startled expression in her eyes. "Ye-es," she said uncertainly.

      "Sit down, please." Kirk drew up a chair.

      "You know, of course, of the murder that took place on your floor of the building last night?" Miss Morrow went on.

      "Of course," replied the girl, her voice barely audible.

      "You were working last night in your office?"

      "Yes—it's the first of the month, you know. I always have extra work at this time."

      "At what hour did you leave the building?"

      "I think it was about ten fifteen. I'm not sure. But I went away without knowing anything of—of this—terrible affair."

      "Yes. Did you see any strangers about the building last night?"

      "No one. No one at all." Her voice was suddenly louder.

      "Tell me"—Miss Morrow looked at her keenly—"had you ever met Sir Frederic Bruce?"

      "No—I had never met him."

      "You had never met him. Please think what you are saying. You didn't meet him night before last—when you visited him in his office?"

      The girl started. "Oh—I saw him then, of course. I thought you meant— had I been introduced to him."

      "Then you did go into his office night before last?"

      "I went into Mr. Kirk's office. There was a big man, with a mustache, sitting in the second room. I presume it was Sir Frederic Bruce."

      "You presume?"

      "Well—of course I know now it was. I saw his picture in this morning's paper."

      "He was alone in the office when you went in?"

      "Yes."

      "Was he the person you went there to see?"

      "No, he was not."

      "When you left the office, you burst into tears." Again the girl started, and her face flushed. "Was it seeing Sir Frederic made you do that?"

      "Oh, no," cried Miss Barr, with more spirit.

      "Then what was it made you cry?"

      "It was—a purely personal matter. Surely I needn't go into it?"

      "I'm afraid you must," Miss Morrow told her. "This is a serious affair, you know."

      The girl hesitated. "Well—I—"

      "Tell me all that happened night before last."

      "Well—it wasn't seeing Sir Frederic made me cry," the girl began. "It was—not seeing some one else."

      "Not seeing some one else? Please explain that."

      "Very well." The girl moved impulsively toward Miss Morrow. "I can tell you. I'm sure you will understand. Mr. Kinsey, Mr. Kirk's secretary, and I—we are—well—sort of engaged. Every night Mr. Kinsey waits for me, and we have dinner. Then he takes me home. Day before yesterday we had a little quarrel—just over some silly thing—you know how it is—"

      "I can imagine," said Miss Morrow solemnly.

      "It was about nothing, really. I waited a long time that evening, and he didn't come for me. So I thought maybe I had been in the wrong. I swallowed my pride and went to look for him. I opened the door of Mr. Kirk's office and went in. Of course I thought Mr. Kinsey would be there. Sir Frederic was alone in the office—Mr. Kinsey had gone. I muttered some apology—Sir Frederic didn't say anything, he just looked at me. I hurried out again and—perhaps you know the feeling, Miss Morrow—"

      "You burst into tears, because Mr. Kinsey hadn't waited?"

      "I'm afraid I did. It was silly of me, wasn't it?"

      "Well, that doesn't matter." Miss Morrow was silent for a moment. "The company you work for—it imports from India, I believe?"

      "Yes—silk and cotton, mostly."

      "Have you ever been in India, Miss Barr?"

      The girl hesitated. "When I was quite young—I lived there for some years—with my mother and father."

      "Where in India?"

      "Calcutta, mostly."

      "Other places, too?" The girl nodded. "In Peshawar, perhaps?"

      "No," answered Miss Barr. "I was never in Peshawar."

      Chan coughed rather loudly, and, catching his eye, Miss Morrow dropped the matter of India. "You had never heard of Sir Frederic before he came here?" she asked.

      "Oh, no, indeed."

      "And you saw him just that once, when he said nothing at all?"

      "Only that once."

      Miss Morrow rose. "Thank you very much. That is all for the present. I trust Mr. Kinsey has apologized?"

      The girl smiled. "Oh, yes—that's all right now. Thank you for asking." She went out quickly.

      Barry Kirk had disappeared from the room, and now he returned. "Kinsey's on his way up," he announced. "Grab him quick before they can compare notes—that was my idea. Getting to be some little detective myself."

      "Excellent," nodded Miss Morrow approvingly. A tall, dark young man, very well dressed, came in.

      "You wanted to see me, Mr. Kirk?" he inquired.

      "Yes. Sorry to butt into your private affairs, Kinsey, but I hear you are sort of engaged to a Miss Lila Barr, who works in one of the offices. Did you know about it?"

      Kinsey smiled. "Of course, Mr. Kirk. I have been meaning to mention the matter to you, but the opportunity wasn't offered."

      "Day before yesterday you had a bit of a quarrel with her?"

      "Oh, it was nothing, sir." Kinsey's dark face clouded. "It's all fixed up now."

      "That's good. But on that evening, contrary to your custom, you didn't wait to take her home? You walked out on her?"

      "I—I'm afraid I did. I was somewhat annoyed—"

      "And you wanted to teach her a lesson. What I call the СКАЧАТЬ