CHAPTER XX
AND THAT'S THE TRUTH
Frederick Power was shown in.
I won't have you think that there was anything remarkable about the man, or anything that would—even momentarily—distinguish him from any number of other hall porters, who wear a uniform and peaked cap, have the air of having seen military service, and wear a couple of medals on a well-developed chest.
He was perfectly respectful, all the more so because Sir Thomas was General Sir Thomas Ryder, K.C.B.—a fact which impressed the ex-soldier far more than any other exalted title, non-military in character, would have done.
He saluted and stood at attention, and as he gave answer to Sir Thomas's preliminary questions his words rang out clear and direct, obviously truthful, as if echoing in the barrack yard at 6 A.M. of a frosty spring morning.
"Your name is——?"
"Frederick Power, sir."
"You are hall porter at the Veterans' Club in Shaftesbury Avenue?"
"Yes, sir."
"You were in the lobby of the club last night as usual?"
"Yes, sir."
"And Mr. Philip de Mountford, who is a member of the club, was in the smoking room at eight o'clock yesterday evening?"
"Yes, sir."
"He came almost every evening, I understand?"
"That's right, sir."
"Alone mostly?"
"Not often, sir. Lord Radclyffe was with him most evenings."
"And Lord Radclyffe and Mr. de Mountford dined together on those occasions in the club dining-room?"
"Yes, sir."
"But last night Mr. de Mountford was alone?"
"Yes, sir. He had some dinner at about half past seven and then he went to the smoking room."
"Later on a gentleman called to see him?"
"That's right, sir. It was about a quarter past eight. The gentleman asked to see Lord Radclyffe, but I said that 'is lordship 'adn't come to the club this night. Then the gentleman asked if Mr. de Mountford was in, and I said yes."
"And you showed him into the smoking room?"
"I told 'im he would find Mr. de Mountford in the smoking room; yes, sir."
"Isn't that rather against club rules to allow strangers to walk in and out of the rooms?"
"Well, sir, the Veterans' is a new club—and the committee ain't very partik'lar."
"I see."
So far the questions and answers had followed on one another in quick succession. Sir Thomas Ryder, with his clever lean head held somewhat on one side, appeared to be reciting a well-learned lesson, so even and placid was the tone of his voice and so indifferent the expression of his furrowed face. One leg was crossed over the other and his tapering hands, white and wrinkled like his face, toyed with a large ivory paper knife hardly whiter in colour than they.
He had not told Frederick Power to sit down, as he might have done in the case of a witness who was a civilian. He preferred to keep the man standing, and at attention, confident that he would thus get clearer and sharper replies.
"Well, then," he resumed after a brief interval during which he had modified his position somewhat, but had not varied the placid expression of his face, "you told the visitor that he would find Mr. de Mountford in the smoking room. What happened after that?"
"The gentleman walked in, sir. And he shut the door, sir, after 'im."
"Did you hear anything that went on inside the room?"
"No, sir. I didn't pay no attention at first, sir."
"Then afterward? After awhile, you did pay attention, didn't you?"
"Yes, sir, I did. The door of the smoking room is quite close to the entrance, sir, and presently I heard loud voices like as if the two gentlemen was quarrelling."
"Did you hear what was said?"
"No, sir, not the words. But the voices they sounded awful. And one other gentleman 'e come along from the dining-room, and asked me what the noise was about. There ain't many members now at the Veterans', sir, and being a foggy night we was partik'lar quiet. But this gentleman 'e was curious about the noise, so 'e just opened the smoking room door and peeped in, and then I did 'ear a few words."
"What were they?"
"Abuse, sir, mostly. One gentleman was goin' on awful, but I couldn't rightly say which one it was. I 'eard the word 'beggar' and 'lazy, idling, good-for-nothing' but I couldn't rightly say 'oo said 'em."
"How long did this go on?"
"Oh, a long time, sir! I couldn't say for sure. After a bit it got quiet in the smoking room. And at about nine o'clock or soon after the visitor come away, and 'e asked me for a light."
"What did he seem like then?"
"I thought 'e'd been drinking, sir. His face was all queer, and pale, and moist-like, and 'is 'and shook like anything when he lighted 'is cigarette."
"Mr. de Mountford did not come out with him?"
"No, sir, not just then, but 'e come out of the smoking room a moment or two later, whilst 'is visitor was still in the 'all. Mr. de Mountford 'e was quite calm, sir, didn't look at all as if 'e'd been 'aving a quarrel. 'E'd his cigar between 'is lips, his 'at on, and 'is overcoat over 'is arm."
"Did he speak to the visitor then?"
"Not right away, sir. 'E seemed to be 'esitating like at first, then 'e came forward and 'e says: 'I am going back to Grosvenor Square now. Would you like to see Uncle Rad about this business yourself? But I warn you that 'e is of the same mind as myself.'"
"And what did the other gentleman say?"
"'E just kind o' laughed and shrugged his shoulders and said: 'I've no doubt of that.'"
"Then after that did they agree to go to Grosvenor Square together?"
"I don't rightly know, sir, if the two gentlemen said anything about that, but the visitor 'e went out first, and Mr. de Mountford followed 'im into the outer lobby. Then 'e turned and spoke to me."
"Who did?"
"Mr. de Mountford, sir; the other gentleman wasn't a yard away from 'im and must 'ave 'eard every word 'e said."
"What did he say?"
"'E said to me: 'Power, I say, you've no business to allow people to enter the club rooms like that. You must keep them waiting in the 'all, one will get hopelessly pestered by beggars at this rate.' Them were Mr. de Mountford's very words, sir, I'd take my Bible oath to every one of 'em; and the other gentleman 'e was in the outer lobby, sir, and 'e must 'ave 'eard every syllable. I caught sight of 'is face and, my word, there was murder in 'is eye."
"That'll do, Power," admonished Sir Thomas, thus checking the man's flow of excited eloquence.
"Very good, sir," replied the other humbly.
"And after that what happened?"
"Both gentlemen went off, sir. I tried to look after 'em but the fog was that thick one couldn't see one's 'and before one's eyes."
"So you lost sight of them just outside the club-house?"
"That's right, sir."
"And did you see either of these two gentlemen since then?"
"No, sir." And the man's voice dropped to a solemn whisper. "Mr. de Mountford was murdered in a taxicab, sir—must 'ave been soon after 'e left the club."
"Very soon, I should say. But the other?"
"I saw the other gentleman this morning, sir."
"Where?"
"Mr. Travers from the police, sir, 'e called to see me at the club, and 'e took me in a taxicab to Grosvenor Square, and told the shoffer, sir, to pull up by the curb on the garden side. Then 'e told me to watch a partik'lar 'ouse opposite and see 'oo was goin' in or out. I didn't 'arf like it, sir, because I'm not supposed to absent myself for very long of a morning, though the committee ain't very partik'lar. But Mr. Travers 'e was of the police, sir, so I thought it was right to do as 'e told me."
"Quite right. And what did you see?"
"Nothing much for close on an hour, sir; a carriage drew up to the door of the 'ouse and an elderly gentleman got out. Mr. Travers told me that it was the doctor. 'E rang the bell and went into the 'ouse. Then after a bit 'oo did I see walking down the street and straight up to the front door of the partik'lar 'ouse, I'd been told to look at, but Mr. de Mountford's visitor of last night."
"You recognized him?"
"Couldn't mistake 'im, sir."
"Did you call Mr. Travers's attention to him?"
"Yes, sir. I told 'im that was the gentleman 'oo'd 'ad an awful quarrel with Mr. Philip de Mountford at the club last night."
"That's all, Power. I won't trouble you further now."
"No trouble, sir."
"Your position at the club is a permanent one?"
"You are always to be found there?"
"Always, sir, whenever you want me."
"Well, send a line to the chief superintendent at Scotland Yard in case your plans get suddenly modified and you are no longer to be found at the club."
"Not likely, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning."
"Good morning."
Sir Thomas touched the electric button in the wall behind him, and a man in a dark blue uniform appeared. Frederick Power was dismissed. He saluted both gentlemen and turning on his heel in proper military fashion, he marched out of the room, obviously delighted with his own importance and with the adventure which varied so pleasantly the monotonous evenness of his existence.