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Updated: May 31, 2025
"I was entering from the street," interrupted Exel, "as they were descending from above"... "You can enter from the street, sir, in a moment," said Dunbar, holding up his hand. "One witness at a time, if you please." Exel shrugged his shoulders and turned slightly, leaning his elbow upon the mantelpiece and flicking off the ash from his cigar.
"Do you see, Exel?" he jerked for Exel was bending over his shoulder. "I do but I don't understand." "What is it?" came hollowly from Leroux. "It is the bottom part of an unfinished note," said Cumberly, slowly. "It is written shakily in a woman's hand, and it reads: 'Your wife'"... Leroux sprang to his feet and crossed the room in three strides. "Wife!" he muttered.
Leroux rose from the armchair in which he had been sitting and stared, drearily, at the newcomer. Exel screwed the monocle into his right eye, and likewise surveyed the detective. Cumberly, taking a tumbler from the bureau, said: "A scotch-and-soda, Inspector?" "It is a suggestion," said Dunbar, "that, coming from a medical man, appeals."
But my wife is a painter, you understand, and er I met her in Paris er ... Must you insist upon these domestic particulars, Inspector?" "If Mr. Exel is anxious to turn in," replied the inspector, "after his no doubt exhausting duties at the House, and if Dr. Cumberly " "I have no secrets from Cumberly!" interjected Leroux.
"Malpas Malpas! Where in this case have I met with the name of Malpas?" "Inspector Dunbar may possibly have mentioned it to you in reference to the evidence of Mr. John Exel, M. P. Mr. Exel, you may remember"... "I have it!" cried Max; "Nom d'un nom! I have it! It was from Sir Brian Malpas that he had parted at the corner of Victoria Street on the night of the murder, is it not so?"
She stopped short at perceiving Exel; then, with a woman's unerring intuition, divined a tragedy, and, in the instant of divination, sought for, and found, the hub of the tragic wheel. One swift glance she cast at the fur-clad form, prostrate. The chafing-dish fell from her hand, and the omelette rolled, a grotesque mass, upon the carpet.
"No one; emphatically, there was no one there!" "Then I am right." "Good God!" whispered Exel, glancing about him, with a new, and keen apprehensiveness. "Take your drink," concluded Cumberly, "and join me in my search." "Thanks," replied Exel, nervously proffering a cigar-case; "but I won't drink."
But presently: "I was reading a very entertaining article," said Exel, turning his monocle upon the physician, "in the Planet to-day, from the pen of Miss Cumberly; Ah! dealing with Olaf van Noord." Sir Brian Malpas suddenly became keenly interested. "You mean in reference to his new picture, 'Our Lady of the Poppies'?" he said. "Yes," replied Exel, "but I was unaware that you knew van Noord?"
Leroux!" she cried, "I shall CERTAINLY report you to Mira, now! You have not even touched the omelette!" "Good God! Cumberly! stop her!" muttered Exel, uneasily. "The door was not latched!"... But it was too late. Even as the physician turned to intercept his daughter, she crossed the threshold of the study.
"On the contrary, Leroux!" retorted Exel, standing very upright, and staring through his monocle; "on the contrary, YOU misconstrue ME! I did not intend to imply to insinuate " "My dear Exel!" broke in Dr. Cumberly "Leroux is perfectly well aware that you intended nothing unkindly. But the poor chap, quite naturally, is distraught at the moment. You MUST understand that, man!"
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