"Oh!" exclaimed Anne.

The other two turned to look at her.

"I remember something else," she said. "Mr. Shaitana said something about a doctor's opportunities in a laboratory. He must have meant something by that."

"It wasn't Mr. Shaitana who said that." Mrs. Oliver shook her head. "It was Major Despard."

A footfall on the garden walk made her turn her head.

"Well!" she exclaimed. "Talk of the devil!"

Major Despard had just come round the corner of the house.

CHAPTER 13

Second Visitor

At the sight of Mrs. Oliver, Major Despard looked slightly taken aback. Under his tan his face flushed a rich brick-red, Embarra.s.sment made him jerky. He made for Anne.

"I apologise, Miss Meredith," he said. "Been ringing your bell. Nothing happened. Was pa.s.sing this way. Thought I might just look you up,"

"I'm so sorry you've been ringing," said Anne. "We haven't got a maid---only a

woman who comes in the mornings."

She introduced him to Rhoda.

Rhoda said briskly:

"Let's have some tea. It's getting chilly. We'd better go in."

They all went into the house. Rhoda disappeared into the kitchen. Mrs. Oliver

said:

"This is quite a coincidence--our all meeting here."

Despard said slowly, "Yes."

His eyes rested on her thoughtfully--appraising eyes.

"I've been telling Miss Meredith," said Mrs. Oliver, who was thoroughly enjoying herself, "that we ought to have a Plan of campaign. About the murder, I

mean. Of course, that doctor did it. Don't you agree with me?"

"Couldn't say. Very little to go on."

Mrs. Oliver put on her "How like a man!" expression.

430

A certain air of constraint had settled over the three. Mrs. Oliver sensed it quickly enough. When Rhoda brought in tea she rose and said she must be getting back to town. No, it was ever so kind of them, but she wouldn't have any tea.

"I'm going to leave you my card," she said. "Here it is, with my address on it.

Come and see me when you come up to town, and we'll talk everything over and see if we can't think of something ingenious to get to the bottom of things."

"I'll come out to the gate with you," said Rhoda.

Just as they were walking down the path to the front gate, Anne Meredith ran out of the house and overtook them.

"I've been thinking things over," she said.

Her pale face looked unusually resolute.

"Yes, my dear?" "It's extraordinarily kind of you, Mrs. Oliver, to have taken all this trouble.

But I'd really rather not do anything at all. I mean--it was all so horrible. I just want to forget about it."

"My dear child, the question is, will you be allowed to forget about it?"

"Oh, I quite understand that the police won't let it drop. They'll probably come here and ask me a lot more questions. I'm prepared for that. But privately, I mean, I don't want to think about it--or be reminded of it in any way. I dare say I'm a coward, but that's how I feel about it."

"Oh, Anne!" cried Rhoda Dawes.

"I can understand your feeling, but I'm not at all sure that you're wise," said Mrs. Oliver. "Left to themselves, the police will probably never find out the truth."

Anne Meredith shrugged her shoulders.

"Does that really matter?"

"Matter?" cried Rhoda. "Of course it matters. It does matter, doesn't it, Mrs.

Oliver?"

"I should certainly say so," said Mrs. Oliver dryly.

"I don't agree," said Anne obstinately. "n.o.body who knows me would ever think I'd done it. I don't see any reason for interfering. It's the business of the police to get at the truth."

"Oh, Anne, you are spiritless," said Rhoda.

"That's how I feel, anyway," said Anne. She held out her hand. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Oliver. It's very good of you to have bothered."

"Of course, if you feel that way, there's nothing more to be said," said Mrs.

Oliver cheerfully. "I, at any rate, shall not let the gra.s.s grow under my feet. Goodbye, my dear. Look me up in London if you change your mind." She climbed into the car, started it, and drove off, waving a cheerful hand at the two girls.

Rhoda suddenly made a dash after the car and leapt on the running-board.

"What you said about looking you up in London," she said breathlessly.

"Did you only mean Anne, or did you mean me, too?"

Mrs. Oliver applied the brake. "I meant both of you, of course."

"Oh, thank you. Don't stop. I--perhaPs I might come one day. There's something--- No, don't stop. I can jump off."

She did so and, waving a hand, ran back to the gate, where Anne was standing.

"What on earth ?" began Anne.

"Isn't she a duck?" asked Rhoda enthusiastically. "I do like her. She had on

odd stockings, did you notice? I'm sure she's frightfully clever. She must be--to write all those books. What fun if she found out the truth when the police and every one were baffled."

"Why did she come here?" asked Anne.

Rhoda's eyes opened wide.

"Darling--she told you--Anne made an impatient gesture.

"We must go in. I forgot. I've left him all alone." Major Despard was standing by the mantelpiece, teacup in hand.

He cut short Anne's apologies for leaving him.

"Miss Meredith, I want to explain why I've b.u.t.ted in like this."

"Oh--but "

"I said that I happened to be pa.s.sing--that wasn't strictly true. I came here on purpose."

"How did you know my address?" asked Anne slowly. "I got it from Superintendent Battle."

He saw her shrink slightly at the name.