"I have no recollection of burning any envelope," said the other easily.
"At any rate," T. X. went on, "when Mr. Lexman read this letter out to you..."
"To which letter are you referring?" asked the other, with a lift of his eyebrows.
"Mr. Lexman received a threatening letter," repeated T. X. patiently, "which he read out to you, and which was addressed to him by Va.s.salaro.
This letter was handed to you and you also read it. Mr. Lexman to your knowledge put the letter in his safe--in a steel drawer."
The other shook his head, smiling gently.
"I am afraid you"ve made a great mistake," he said almost apologetically, "though I have a recollection of his receiving a letter, I did not read it, nor was it read to me."
The eyes of T. X. narrowed to the very slits and his voice became metallic and hard.
"And if I put you into the box, will you swear, that you did not see that letter, nor read it, nor have it read to you, and that you have no knowledge whatever of such a letter having been received by Mr. Lexman?"
"Most certainly," said the other coolly.
"Would you swear that you have not seen Va.s.salaro for a week?"
"Certainly," smiled the Greek.
"That you did not in fact see him last night," persisted T. X., "and interview him on the station platform at Lewes, that you did not after leaving him continue on your way to London and then turn your car and return to the neighbourhood of Beston Tracey?"
The Greek was white to the lips, but not a muscle of his face moved.
"Will you also swear," continued T. X. inexorably, "that you did not stand at the corner of what is known as Mitre"s Lot and re-enter a gate near to the side where your car was, and that you did not watch the whole tragedy?"
"I"d swear to that," Kara"s voice was strained and cracked.
"Would you also swear as to the hour of your arrival in London?"
"Somewhere in the region of ten or eleven," said the Greek.
T. X. smiled.
"Would you swear that you did not go through Guilford at half-past twelve and pull up to replenish your petrol?"
The Greek had now recovered his self-possession and rose.
"You are a very clever man, Mr. Meredith--I think that is your name?"
"That is my name," said T. X. calmly. "There has been, no need for me to change it as often as you have found the necessity."
He saw the fire blazing in the other"s eyes and knew that his shot had gone home.
"I am afraid I must go," said Kara. "I came here intending to see Mrs.
Lexman, and I had no idea that I should meet a policeman."
"My dear Mr. Kara," said T. X., rising and lighting a cigarette, "you will go through life enduring that unhappy experience."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what I say. You will always be expecting to meet one person, and meeting another, and unless you are very fortunate indeed, that other will always be a policeman."
His eyes twinkled for he had recovered from the gust of anger which had swept through him.
"There are two pieces of evidence I require to save Mr. Lexman from very serious trouble," he said, "the first of these is the letter which was burnt, as you know."
"Yes," said Kara.
T. X. leant across the desk.
"How did you know?" he snapped.
"Somebody told me, I don"t know who it was."
"That"s not true," replied T. X.; "n.o.body knows except myself and Mrs.
Lexman."
"But my dear good fellow," said Kara, pulling on his gloves, "you have already asked me whether I didn"t burn the letter."
"I said envelope," said T. X., with a little laugh.
"And you were going to say something about the other clue?"
"The other is the revolver," said T. X.
"Mr. Lexman"s revolver!" drawled the Greek.
"That we have," said T. X. shortly. "What we want is the weapon which the Greek had when he threatened Mr. Lexman."
"There, I"m afraid I cannot help you."
Kara walked to the door and T. X. followed.
"I think I will see Mrs. Lexman."
"I think not," said T. X.
The other turned with a sneer.
"Have you arrested her, too?" he asked.
"Pull yourself together!" said T. X. coa.r.s.ely. He escorted Kara to his waiting limousine.
"You have a new chauffeur to-night, I observe," he said.
Kara towering with rage stepped daintily into the car.