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True enough, I stepped out on the stairs for a cigarette-Carry, you fool, his
wife cried. He took upfrom the table a little yellow book, and held it
out.
Isit beyond belief that Eve Durand, with new name, marries again
intobigamy? Even in moment of passing, his dying hand would seekto leave behind
essential clue. Calm your distress, said Chan soothingly. She was atwork in her
office there last night. Speaking of that, said Kirk, how about those velvet
slippers? Lets go back down-stairs, growled Flannery.
Dyke, who takescare of
the two top floors. Im sure none of us intended adiscourtesy to the Colonel, he
said. But it is wise in our work, Miss Morrow, that even the
smallestimprobabilities be studied. You have hunted his personal effects, in
bedroom? I havent had time to investigate, said Kirk. She had seen no one about
thebuilding whom she did not recognize. A fourth lady to require your kind
attention. The butler had returned, and Miss Morrow faced him.
With Kirk and
Charlie Chan, she returned to the twentieth floor.
For a longmoment Chan looked
at her with serious eyes, then he bowed, very stiffly.
Good-bys andfinal
admonitions filled the air. Flannery strode past them into the garden. At
thoughtof your kindness, he remarked, I am choking. Thatmeans youre not to butt
in and spoil things. With him were two patrolmen and a policedoctor.
The
postman refuses to take another walk.
Dont look at me like that,she cried
ruefully.
Chan, said the young woman from the district attorneysoffice. Neither
of usmoved from there at any time.
Hestood before the two young people, ill at
ease. A girl who is employed in the office of the Calcutta Importers, on
thisfloor. Postman on his holiday, theytell me, takes long walk. I hope I wont
be boring you if I go on talking about SirFrederic. Enderby goes to garden,
sees man on fire-escape. Fates have been in smiling mood with me
here.
Flannerys Irish eyes were not precisely smiling as they rested onCharlie
Chan. Well, a newspaper man, Rankin of the Globe, came to see me a few
minutesago.
She hastily went overin her mind all she had ever read of the
Chinese character. Nothing, said Kirk, that had any bearing on the
matter.
Nothing thatmentioned Hilary Galt or Eve Durand. Or does she know her
husband, smoking cigarette on stairs,has not been so idly occupied?
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