“How long have you been in Lenaire’s employ?”
“About two weeks, sir.”
“I understand that he sent you up to Mr. Clayton’s room, Toulon, to ask Mr. Vandyke to join him in the dining room.”
“Yes, sir, he did.”
“About what time was that, as near as you can tell?”
“I would say it was near ten o’clock, sir.[Pg 13]”
“Did you return to the dining room after taking the message to Mr. Vandyke?”
“No, sir. You see, sir, I didn’t take the message,” said Toulon, with some signs of embarrassment.
“No?” queried Nick, as if surprised. “I understood that you did. How was that?”
“Well, you see, sir, I was near dying for a smoke,” Toulon explained. “I thought it would be a good time to slip out and have one. So I went out to one side of the house, thinking I’d stay only a couple of minutes, just long enough to have a whiff or two, sir. But——”