"The letter to Laura at Mrs. Baldwin's, written on paper belonging to the Frivolity Theatre, likewise contained a few hurried lines saying that the writer would be with her as asked, at half-past nine on the night of the 24th of July, that he would obey instructions if he was early and admit her into the house if she rang the bell. It also stated that his understudy would play his part in The Third Man so that the appointment could be kept.
"I never wrote a line of that," said Arnold when Laura had finished reading the letter. "When did you get it?"
"On the afternoon of the 24th. I was astonished, as I knew I had not written you a letter about the villa, and I wondered how you would be able to let me in."
"Now observe, Laura," said Calvert, sitting down, "both these letters are delivered to you and I so late that there is no chance of our meeting for an explanation save at Ajax Villa. It seems to me like a trap--whether for you or for me I cannot say--perhaps for us both."
"Did you really come to the villa?" asked Laura, knitting her brows.
"I did. You were right in your guess about my being the man who spoke to Mulligan. When I received your letter I asked the manager to let my understudy take the part. He made some objection, but finally he gave permission for the change. Then I came home, intending to keep the appointment at half-past nine, and wondering what you wished to say, seeing that we had met three days previously, and then you had given no hint of your possession of the latch-key."
"I wondered in exactly the same way," exclaimed the girl. "I said to Mrs. Baldwin on Saturday night--the night you know--that I would go out for a stroll, the evening being hot. Gerty was at the theatre with Mr. Tracey. I then went to the villa at half-past nine or a little later. I did not see you, and but few people were about. I slipped into the garden so as not to be seen waiting in the road. I was afraid lest any of Julia's friends should see me. I then rang the bell somewhere near a quarter to ten, thinking you had arrived and were within. I rang and rang but no one appeared, so I fancied you had not been able to get away from the theatre, and returned to Mrs. Baldwin. I said I had been strolling in the Nightingales' Walk."
"Did you see a light in the room where the crime was committed?"
"No! Had I done so I should have waited. But the villa was quite in darkness," said the girl decisively. "You did not come?"
"I did later. There was a chapter of accidents. I came home rather tired and lay down to sleep after dinner. When I awoke it was nine o'clock. How I came to oversleep myself I can't say. I usually waken when I wish. Then a message came from the theatre just as I was getting ready to come--although I knew I would be late for the appointment. My understudy was taken ill, so I had to go back and finish the play. Afterwards, so eager was I to see if you were waiting, that I left the theatre without changing my clothes. I took a fast cab and reached Achilles Avenue about twenty or fifteen minutes to eleven."