His proceedings were interrupted, however, by the arrival of young Samuel Appleby.
The big man came in and a sudden hush fell upon the group.
Daniel Wheeler rose—and put out a tentative hand, then half withdrew it as if he feared it would not be accepted.
Hallen watched this closely. He strongly suspected Wheeler was the murderer, but he had no intention of getting himself in bad by jumping at the conclusion.
However, Appleby grasped the hand of his host as if he had no reason for not doing so.
“I’m sorry, sir, you should have had this tragedy beneath your roof,” he said.
Hallen listened curiously. It was strange he should adopt an apologetic tone, as if Wheeler had been imposed upon.
“Our sorrow is all for you, Sam,” Dan Wheeler returned, and then as Appleby passed on to greet Maida and her mother, Wheeler sank back in his chair and was again lost in thought.
The whole scene was one of constraint. Appleby merely nodded to Genevieve, and spoke a few words to Keefe, and then asked to see his father.
On his return to the living-room, he had a slightly different air. He was a little more dictatorial, more ready to advise what to do.