“Do you mean that his attitude was threatening?”
The butler considered. “Hardly that, sir. Oh no, not threatening! Very affable, he was, in a silly kind of way. Stood there smiling. I formed the impression that he was under the influence of drink. I was about to summon Matthew - the footman, sir - to assist in putting him outside when Mr Vereker came down the stairs ready to go out.”
“In evening-dress?”
“Precisely, sir. Mr Vereker called out to know what was the matter. The stranger kept on smiling, in what I could only think a very peculiar way, under the circumstances, and after a moment he said, amiable as you please: “You'd better be at home to me, old fellow.” Those were his exact words, and the effect of them upon Mr Vereker was remarkable. Mr Vereker was a gentleman with a high complexion, but he turned quite pale, and stood there with his hand on the banister, staring.”
“Did he seem to be afraid?”
“I should not like to say that, sir. He looked to me to be very angry and amazed.”
“Do you remember what he said?”
“He did not speak at all, sir, until the stranger said that it would save a lot of unpleasantness if he had a few words with him alone. Then he gave a kind of choke, and told me to let the man in. I did so, of course, and Mr Vereker led the way into this room, and shut the door.”
“How long were they both here?”
“Until Mr Vereker left the house, sir, which he did in company with his visitor. It might have been twenty minutes, or half an hour.”