He touched the nearest bell-push as he spoke, and the Inspector and I looked at each other with curiosity as to his purpose. The bell was promptly answered by Gerard, and within a few moments the proprietress of the club sailed into the room.
She was decidedly more at ease than she had been when we interviewed her first. Touches of mourning had been added to her elegant dress, and her whole manner had been toned down to that of a dignified lady in distress. Tarleton appeared to meet this assumption by an added roughness in addressing her.
“Will you be good enough to tell me the rules of the Domino Club as to the admission of visitors?”
Madame Bonnell put her head on one side for a moment, giving herself the air of a person who was considering whether to grant a favour.
“I see no objection to that, Sir Frank. You are Sir Frank Tarleton, are you not?”
The question was almost impudent. The physician ignored it with a sharp “Well?”
“Every member was entitled to one card of admission for a friend for each dance. He was required to enter the name of the friend, and the costume he was coming in, in the club register.”
“Let me see the register, please.”
Madame had evidently expected this demand. She drew herself up.
“The register is confidential. It contains the names of all the members. I keep it for my private information, and I can’t show it to anyone else.”