"But I've nothing to tell," the valet asseverated again.
Kenly appeared not to hear him. "Look here, Under," he said, "your mind is wool-gathering this morning. You just have a wash to freshen you up, and then we'll go out and get some breakfast together, and have a quiet chat."
The valet found it impossible to combat Kenly's persistence. He did as he was bidden. He brushed his clothes, he arrayed himself in a clean collar, and he meekly preceded the detective down the stairs, and walked by his side until they arrived at a tea-shop. But there he paused. "Really, I couldn't look at food this morning," he said.
Kenly saw that he was speaking the truth; the man's shaking hands told their own tale.
"After you've had a pick-me-up, you will be able to look your grub in the face," he remarked.
He marched his man off to a chemist's shop, ordered the draught, saw that his patient swallowed it to the last drop, and brought him back again to the tea-shop. He was quite ready for his own breakfast by this time, and he brought a healthy appetite to the demolition of the eggs and bacon which he ordered. Under, also, after he had swallowed a couple of cups of tea, found that his appetite had returned. He was morally and physically a better man when the meal was done.
But while it was in progress they talked, or, at least, Kenly asked questions and Under answered them. The detective learned a great deal during that conversation of Guy's habits and of Guy's friends. There was ample justification to his mind for the ruse he had employed, when he heard the one fact that Guy was a frequent visitor at the house of the Marvens. To his mind it seemed that the threads which he held in his hand were unravelling themselves. He was compelled to listen to a full account of the eventful evening which had led up to Under's dismissal. Though amused, he was not particularly attentive until the valet mentioned the name of his companion. When he heard that Cornelius Jessel had been the tempter, he could barely restrain his eagerness to obtain full particulars. Under was wax in his hands. Kenly learned everything that the valet could tell him of the companion of that disastrous evening. He made no comment. The threads which seemed almost to be coming loose had of a sudden twisted themselves into an inextricable knot. He took leave of Under shortly afterwards, and as he walked away he muttered to himself, "By Henry! if I can make head or tail of the confounded affair."
Still, he had learned enough to know that Lynton Hora and Guy Hora and Cornelius Jessel were all in some way concerned. Moreover, he began to suspect that a possibility which he had eliminated from his reckoning was within the bounds of credibility. He began to see that his enquiries must include the goings and the comings and the doings of Captain Marven.
CHAPTER XVI
GUY MAKES A RESOLUTION
The dog days had come and the season was almost moribund when Captain and Mrs. Marven and Miss Challys left town for their country house in Essex, where Guy was to join them a week later, for he had definitely accepted the invitation which had been pressed upon him.