"How does the murder intervene?"
Robinson shifted uneasily in his chair. He knew only too well that he himself had driven a wedge between the two.
"Steynholme"s a funny spot, sir," he contrived to explain. "Since it came out that Doris an" Mr. Grant were in the garden at The Hollies at half past ten on Monday night, without Mr. Martin knowin" where his daughter was, there"s been talk. Both the postmaster an" the girl herself are up to it. You can see it in their faces. They don"t like it, an" who can blame "em!"
"Who, indeed? But this Elkin--surely he had some ground for a definite boast, made openly, among people acquainted with all the parties?"
"There"s more than Elkin would marry Doris if she lifted a finger, sir."
"Can you name them?"
"Well, Tomlin wants a wife."
Winter laughed joyously.
"Next?" he cried.
"They say that Mr. Siddle is a widower."
"The chemist? Foreman of the jury?"
"Yes, sir."
"From appearances, he is a likelier candidate than either Elkin or Tomlin. Anybody else?"
"I shouldn"t be far wrong if I gave you the name of most among the young unmarried men in the parish."
"Dear me! I must have a peep at this charmer. But I want those names, Robinson."
Winter produced a note-book, so he was evidently taking the matter seriously. The policeman, however, was fl.u.s.tered. His thoughts ran on Elkin, whereas this masterful person from London insisted on discussing Doris Martin.
"My difficulty is, sir, that she has never kep" company with any of "em," he said.
"Never mind. Give me the name of every man who, no matter what his position or prospects, might be irritated, if no more, if he knew that Miss Martin and Mr. Grant were presumably spooning in a garden at a rather late hour."
It was a totally new line of inquiry for Robinson, but he bent his wits to it, and evolved a list which, if published, would certainly be regarded with incredulous envy by every other girl in the village than the postmaster"s daughter; as for Doris herself, she would be mightily surprised when she saw it, but whether annoyed or secretly gratified none but a pretty girl of nineteen can tell.
Winter departed soon afterwards. Before going to the inn he had a look at the forge. A young woman, standing at the open door of the adjoining cottage, favored him with a frank stare. There was no light in the dwelling. When he returned, after walking a little way down the road, the door was closed.
Next morning, Bates heard of Peters as the detective and of Mr. Franklin as a "millionaire" from South America. Moreover, he scrutinized both in the flesh, and saw Robinson salute Peters but pa.s.s the financial potentate with indifference.
Alas, that a reputation, once built, should be destroyed!
"I was mistook, sir," he reported to Grant later. "There"s another "tec about, but "e ain"t the chap I met last night. They say this other bloke is rollin" in money, an" buyin" hosses right an" left."
"Then he"ll soon be rolling in the mud, and have no money," put in Hart.
"Who is he?" inquired Grant carelessly.
"A Mr. Franklin, from South America, sir."
Grant and Hart exchanged glances. Curiously enough, Hart remained silent till Bates had gone.
"I must look this joker up, Jack," he said then. "To me the mere mention of South America is like Mother Gary"s chickens to a sailor, a harbinger of storm."
But Hart consumed Tomlin"s best brew to no purpose--in so far as seeing Mr. Franklin was concerned, since the latter was in Knoleworth, buying a famous racing stud. Being in the village, however, this fisher in troubled waters was not inclined to return without a bag of some sort.
He walked straight into the post office. Doris and her father were there, the telegraphist being out.
"Good day, everybody," he cried cheerfully. "Grant wants to know, Mr.
Martin, if you and Miss Doris will come and dine with him, us, this evening at 7.30?"
The postmaster gazed helplessly at this free-and-easy stranger. Doris laughed, and blushed a little.
"This is Mr. Hart, a friend of Mr. Grant"s, dad," she explained. "I"m afraid we cannot accept the invitation. We are so busy."
"The worst of excuses," said Hart.
"But there is a London correspondent here who hands in a long telegram at that hour."
"What"s his name?"
"Mr. Peters."
"Great Scott! Jimmie Peters here? I"ll soon put a stopper on him. He"ll come, too--jumping. See if he doesn"t. Is it a bargain? Short telegram at six. Dinner for five at 7.30. Come, now, Mr. Martin. It"s up to you. I can see "Yes" in Doris"s eye. Over the port--most delectable, I a.s.sure you--I"ll give full details of the peculiar case of a man in Worcestershire whose crop of gooseberries increased fourfold after starting an apiary. And what does it matter if you do lose a queen or two in June? The drones will attend to that trifle.... It"s a fixture, eh?
Where"s Peters? In the Pull and Push? I"ll rout him out."
The whirlwind subsided, but quickly materialized again.
"Peters nearly fell on his knees and wept with joy," announced Hart. "He believes he was given a bull steak for luncheon. He pledges himself to have only five hundred words on the wire at five o"clock."
Meanwhile, father and daughter had decided that there was no valid reason why they should not dine with Mr. Grant. Martin already regretted his aloofness on the day of the inquest, though, truth to tell, Hart"s expert knowledge of bee-culture was the determining factor. On her part, Doris was delighted. Her world had gone awry that week, and this small festivity might right it.
Not one word of the improvised dinner-party did Hart confide to Grant. He informed the only indispensable person, Mrs. Bates, and left it at that.
Grant, a restless being these days, took him for another long walk. It chanced that their road home led down the high-street. The hour was a quarter past seven, and Peters hailed them.
Hart introduced the journalist, saying casually:
"Jimmie is coming to dinner, Jack."
"Delighted," said Grant, of course.
Peters looked slightly surprised, but pa.s.sed no comment. Then Doris and her father appeared. They joined the others, shook hands, and, to Grant"s secret perplexity, the whole party moved off down the hill in company.
When the Martins turned with the rest to cross the bridge, Grant began to suspect his friend.
"Wally," he managed to whisper, "what game have you been playing?"
"Aren"t you satisfied?" murmured Hart. "Sdeath, as they used to say in the Surrey Theater, you"re as bad as Furshaw!"