"This looks like business," said H.M., also in a soft growl. Not once in some time had he gone off into his usual grousing: he had forgotten to do it: he was too occupied. "Tell me about it."
Antrim seemed uneasy. "Not much to tell," he protested. "What's wrong? It was just at one-thirty. Don't ask me how I remember; but its stuck in my mind that that's when it was. I'd just come from the bathroom, and I was going on to my den. This was upstairs, of course. I was going along the upstairs hall, and I happened to glance down over the banisters. You can see if you go out into the hall — the telephone there is under the stairs. I looked down, and saw Serpos standing there, half under the stairs and half out in the hall, with the 'phone in his hand. He was sort of leaning and lounging (you know?), and he seemed to be talking close up against the 'phone, in a low voice. I couldn't hear what he said. But he seemed to be laughing a little. I thought it was damned cheek of him. I mean, just picking up my 'phone He'd been out in the dining-room, where they'd put him, drinking my whisky. But I didn't say anything."
"Was there anybody else in the hall?"
"I didn't notice anybody. But then I couldn't see all of the downstairs hall."
"Ho," growled H.M. "Look here, sergeant: where were you at one-thirty? You're usually supposed to be on guard in that hall. Where were you?"
Davis was perturbed. "I don't remember, sir. I didn't keep much track of the time. I've been in and out, and on a couple of errands. But I couldn't have been in the hall then. If Serpos is that superior young gentleman who looks such a ruddy ass in the parson's outfit, I didn't see him using the telephone at any time. Mostly he's been out in the dining-room soaking up whisky."
H.M. waved a big flipper towards Antrim, "All right, son. That's all. Hop it."
"But — "
"Hop it. Don't argue. You and your wife are goin' to have a whole lot to talk over. You'd better go up and see her straightaway."
When Antrim was ultimately persuaded out of the room, Evelyn turned on H.M. in a sort of agony.