“What do you mean—you’re no one?” he demanded.
“I work in a bar in the West End. Mr. Trent used to come in sometimes. Not regularly, I don’t mean, far from it. But just now and then, every few months, when he was in London. And——”
“And?” Rendell echoed, as she hesitated.
“Oh well, I don’t know—he was always very nice to me. That’s all. Always had a bit of a talk before he went. Sometimes told me a book to read—once or twice gave me seats at a theatre for my night off. That’s all—but it helped. Gets a bit monotonous at times, serving in a bar.”
“I’ll bet my life it does!”
“You feel sometimes you’ll have to hide under the counter to get away from all the faces opposite. Then you get all right again, and go on. But I mustn’t take up your time like this.”
“That’s all right. What’s your name?”
“They always call me Rummy.”
“Why?”
“Oh, an old major who comes in a lot said some time ago he was going to call me Rummy because I was a rum ’un—and the name stuck.”
“Which bar do you work in?”
“The long bar at the Cosmopolitan.”
“Well, perhaps I’ll look you up there one day soon and tell you how Trent is.”
“Would you? I’d be grateful if you would. I must go now or I’ll be late. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Rendell shut the door, and immediately remembered that he had not asked Rummy whether she knew Trent was at No. 77 or whether she, like all the others, had come there as that address had been given in the newspaper. Then, having decided that he would ask her when he went to the Cosmopolitan, he dismissed the subject, and began to pace up and down the room—trying to determine whether or not he should see Marsden if the latter turned up at six o’clock.
A volley of blows on the front door interrupted his attempt to reach a decision.
“That probably
A one-minute silence, then another series of determined knocks.
“By God, I
A few moments later he heard steps in the hall. Evidently someone had heard the summons and was responding to it. Almost immediately Captain Frazer entered the room, without the formality of a knock on the door.
“Sorry and all that,” he began, in a tone that was an even blend of insolence and servility, “but there’s someone else come about Trent. My wife tells me you’ve been good enough to——”
“Yes, I have,” Rendell cut in, “but I can’t keep on interviewing Trent’s friends for ever. May go on for days.”
“Quite—quite! Never mind. Don’t you worry. I’ll send my wife down. I’ve got to go out for five minutes. Important, you understand. But I’ll send her down. Don’t you bother.”
“She’s probably enough to do,” Rendell replied bluntly. “As you put that paragraph in the paper, it seems to me that it’s up to you to deal with its consequences.”
Captain Frazer stiffened till he became completely rigid, his right eye winking convulsively. Then, still erect as a sentinel, he turned and marched out of the room.
A moment later the front door banged.
“God! he’s gone! Hope the visitor’s gone with him.”
But Rendell soon discovered that the reverse was the fact. Frazer had evidently considered that the effect of his military exit would have been marred had he paused to close the door. It remained three-quarters open, and Rendell, who had begun to pace the room again, was not a little astonished suddenly to find that a woman stood in the doorway, regarding him with somewhat grim attention.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble
“Well, why not? I’m getting pretty used to it. In an honorary capacity, you understand.”
“Is Ivor Trent still here?” she asked, with measured deliberation.
“He is.”
“He’s not still—delirious?” The last word was jerked out, despite a great, and obvious, effort at control.
“Very excited, is the phrase the nurse used—when I asked her this afternoon.”
A long pause.
Rendell made no attempt to mask his scrutiny of her, as he considered that her method of entry, and her general manner, did not necessitate elaborate courtesy.
She was about twenty-four. Her broad face, with its strong regular features, would have been commonplace had it not been for the deep-set dark eyes. The eyes might have belonged to a fanatic. Unlike Rosalie Vivian, there was nothing elusive about her figure. It was sturdy, somewhat over-developed, and seemed to rebel against the restriction of clothes.
“Yes, that’s what the nurse said some hours ago,” Rendell went on, “‘very excited,’ were her exact words.” He paused, then added: “Of course, he may be delirious again now.”