"Just what happened."
"I didn't see it all. As nearly as I can recall that man—Mr. Shattuck, his name is—was at a table with Mrs. Lathrop when Mrs. Wilford approached. You see, I knew them all slightly. I know so many people who come here from up-town. It flatters them—and I have a good memory for names. I had seen Mrs. Wilford here several times before with Mr. Shattuck—and once I think with Mr. Wilford—I'm not sure. Anyhow, I knew her—I think I sold her a box for our Freud play last year—I'm not sure. I'd have to look that up. Well, there was quite a scene when Mrs. Wilford stopped and faced Mrs. Lathrop at her table. But here's the strange part of it. I don't know whether you know it or not. But just before that, while Mrs. Wilford was sitting at the table just back of us—the two were down there near the piano—Mr. Wilford himself came in. He was about to give his hat and stick to the check-boy when he caught sight of the back of his wife's head. She was alone—right there—then. He spoke a few words to a man near the street door. I don't know him. He never came here before and I haven't seen him since. But, at any rate, Mr. Wilford spoke to him, then turned and left in a great hurry. I wasn't here through it all. Just a moment, Pedro!" she called to a waiter who was passing at the moment.
Pedro completed his service at another table, then came over to Zona.
"Did you ever see these people here?" asked Zona, turning over the photographs of Vina and Shattuck.
Pedro was at first suspicious, and, in fact, I do not believe that he would have told us a thing had it not been Zona herself who questioned him.
"Yes," he admitted, finally, "I remember one night they were here."
"Did you serve them?" asked Zona.
"Yes," he replied, apparently reluctant to be drawn into anything.
"Do you remember anything that happened?"
"I was very busy," he evaded. "The woman came in first alone, I remember, and said she was waiting for a friend. Then the man came in. I thought she was surprised to see him—but I thought it was all right. She had said she was going to meet a friend."