Woke nodded and withdrew. He had not gained much by his conversation. Harold was evidently guiltless; or, at all events, there seemed to be no evidence to connect him with the crime. The poor inspector, accustomed to open murders of the poker or hatchet order, was wholly at a loss how to deal with the intricate criminal problem presented to him. He could not find the weapon with which the crime had been committed; he could gain no tangible intelligence likely to fasten the crime on to any one person. At last, utterly perplexed, he took himself off.
Harold watched him go with some sense of relief. He saw that the case, handled by a man of such inexperience and meagre intelligence, would come to nothing, and for Brenda's sake he was glad. He could not help thinking that Scarse was in some way connected with the matter. Much would depend upon the explanation he had to give regarding his "double." Until that mystery was solved, nothing could be done.
He was still pondering over the pros and cons of it all when he was interrupted by the waiter with the intelligence that Mr. van Zwieten wished to see him. Wondering what his rival could have to say to him, he directed that he should be shown in. When Van Zwieten appeared, Harold received him coldly. He did not offer to shake hands.
"You wish to see me?" was all he said.
"Ach, yes!" replied Van Zwieten, with a beaming smile. "You will let me sit down." He threw himself lightly on the sofa. "Thank you. Yes, Captain Burton, I have come to see you about a lady."
"I know whom you mean," said Harold, his voice tremulous with rage, "and I must ask you to leave that lady's name unspoken. I refuse to discuss the matter, you have come about."
"It will be better for you to agree," said Van Zwieten, with a steely gleam of his blue eyes. "I come to see you about more than Miss Scarse."
Harold sat down suddenly. It flashed across him that the Dutchman knew something connected with the crime, so significantly did he speak. Resolved to know the worst, he decided to let him have his say, although he winced at the idea of Brenda's name on the lips of the man. However, there was no help for it. The position was dangerous, and this was not the time for squeamishness.
"Say what you have to say and go then," he said, holding himself in hand.
"I can say that in a few words," said Van Zwieten; "you are engaged to be married to Miss Scarse."