The House Opposite Part 10

"Well, sir, she'd been crying, and I never see her cry before."

"What did Mrs. Atkins say to you?"

"She scolded us for being so late," the girl answered shamefacedly.

"Was that all she said?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where was your mistress when you saw her?"

"She was lying on the sofy in her bed-room, tired like."

"What did Mrs. Atkins do yesterday?"

"She went out after breakfast and didn't come back till nearly six."

"How did she seem when she returned?"

"She'd been crying awful, and she just lay quiet and wouldn't eat no dinner."

"Do Mr. and Mrs. Atkins get along well together?"

"Oh, sir, they're that loving," she answered with a blush and a smile.

Again my curiosity got the better of my discretion, and I asked: "Did you hear any strange noises during the night?"

The Coroner glared at me, but said nothing this time.

"Well," replied the girl, "me and Jane did think as we'd heard a scream."

Ha, ha, thought I, and I saw Mr. Merritt indulge in one of his quiet smiles.

"So you heard a scream," said the Coroner.

"I don't know for sure; I thought so."

"At what time did you hear it?"

"I don't know, sir; some time in the night."

"What did you do when you heard it?"

"Nothing, sir."

This was all that could be got out of her, so she made way for the cook, who, after being cross-questioned at some length, did no more than corroborate the waitress's statement, only she was more positive of having heard the "screech" as she called it.

"Could you tell whether it was a man or woman who screamed?" inquired the Coroner.

"It was a woman's voice, sir."

Mr. Stuart, who was next admitted, proved to be a small, middle-aged man, extremely well groomed, and whom I recognized as one of the members of my Club, whose name I had never known. On being asked if he had ever seen the dead man before, he solemnly inserted a single eye-gla.s.s into his right eye, and contemplated the corpse with the greatest imperturbability.

"So far as I can remember, I have never seen the man before," he answered at last. After replying satisfactorily to a few more questions, he was allowed to retire, and his cook took his place. She was a large, stout woman about thirty years old, with a good deal of that coa.r.s.e Southern beauty, which consists chiefly in snapping black eyes, ma.s.ses of dark hair, and good teeth. On catching sight of the corpse, she threw up her hands and uttered a succession of squeals, which she seemed to consider due to the horror of the occasion, and then turned serenely towards the Coroner, and with a slight courtesy stood smilingly awaiting his questions.

"What is your name?" he inquired.

"Jeanne Alexandrine Argot," she replied.

"You are in the employ of Mr. Stuart?"

"Yes, sar. I 'ave been with Mr. Stuah, six a years, and he tell you----"

"Please look at the deceased, and tell me if you have ever seen him before?" the Coroner hastily interrupted.

"No, sar."

After answering a few more questions with overpowering volubility, she withdrew, and her husband entered. He was a tall, vigorous man, with large hawk-like eyes, apparently a good deal older than his wife. He bowed to us all on entering, and stood respectfully near the door, waiting to be spoken to.

"What is your name?" inquired the Coroner.

"Celestin Marie Argot."

"You work for Mr. Stuart?"

"Yes, sar; I am Meester Stuah's butlair."

"Look at this corpse, and tell me if you can identify it as that of any one you know, or have ever seen?"

He now glanced for the first time at the body, and I thought I saw his face contract slightly. But the expression was so fleeting that I could not be sure of it, and when he raised his head a few moments later he seemed perfectly composed and answered calmly: "I do not know ze man."

Apparently the Coroner was not completely satisfied, for he went on: "You know that this man has been murdered, and that it is your duty to give us any information that might lead to his identification. Have you seen any suspicious persons about the building during the last few days?"

"No, sar; n.o.body,"--but I thought he had hesitated an instant before answering.

"You must see a good many people pa.s.s up and down the back stairs,"

the detective remarked; "especially in this hot weather, when you must be obliged to leave the kitchen door open a good deal so as to get a draught."

The man cast a hurried, and I thought an apprehensive, glance at Mr.

Merritt, and replied quickly: "Yes, sar; ze door is open almos' all ze time, but I 'ave seen n.o.body."

"n.o.body?" repeated the detective.

"Yes, sar," Argot a.s.serted, still more emphatically. "No vone, excep' ze butchair, ze bakair, and ze ozer tradesmen, of course."

"How early are you likely to open the kitchen door? To leave it open, I mean?"

"Oh, not till eight o'clock, perhap--Madame Argot, she stay in deshabille till zen."