His eye seemed fascinated by the skull on the desk. He sat down gingerly, and adjusted his face with dignity.
"During the time you've been workin' for Hogenauer, did he take a daily newspaper?"
"Newspaper? Yes, sir."
"Uh-huh. Read it every day, did he?"
"Mostly. That is, usually he'd read it at breakfast. But sometimes 'e forgot, and then they'd accumulate for a couple of days. Then 'e'd take the whole lot into his study one evening, and read 'em all together."
This line of questioning, which he appeared not to understand, impressed Bowers as much as the skull on the desk.
"What happened to the papers after he had finished readin' 'em?'
'Happened? 'Ere! — sorry, sir. Why, I collected 'em up and put 'em in the pantry, that's all."
"So. Ever read the papers yourself?"
"No, governor, I didn't."