“Yes.”
“And there was no train that could have arrived from the city in the meantime?”
“Not unless it was a special.”
“Now, with your knowledge of Orizaba and his habits, of the relations he occupied in the household, of the acquaintances he cultivated, can you offer any suggestion concerning the identity of any person who might have killed him? I don’t necessarily mean who did kill him, but who might have done so at any time or place?”
“Nobody but Reginald Meadows Danton—myself. The fact is, Carter, Orizaba was generally well liked. He was quite a favorite at the club. I don’t know that he had an enemy in the world, save myself—and possibly my father. Only, of course, the governor is out of the question. He’s in Europe, anyhow; and, besides, his dislike for Orizaba was only general. He disliked to have strangers around the house at any time. We have always entertained lavishly, but it was always a bore to the governor. Dear old dad hasn’t an ambition in life that hasn’t the dollar sign in front of it. You must not get the idea that because I hated and despised Orizaba that everybody else did the same. On the contrary, he was a general favorite.”
“Very well, Danton,” said the detective, rising from his chair. “If you will wait here while I make some changes in my apparel I will rejoin you presently and we will catch the six-thirty train for the Fells. For the present, I advise you to give the impression that you have not been, at the house before, this morning, and if the body of Orizaba has not already been found we will discover it. After that we must be guided by events. My presence with you, you can explain on the plea that I am a Mr. Felix Parsons, of London, an old friend whom you unexpectedly met at the club.”
CHAPTER VI.
THE PICTURE IN THE ROSE-GARDEN.
Nick Carter and his young client walked from the station to the Fells, and while they were on their way the detective took occasion to refer to another point that had been mentioned by Danton, and one to which he had especially objected at the time it was made.
“In the beginning of our conversation this morning,” he said, “you used the expression that you had long ‘meditated’ killing Orizaba some day. Later, you told me about the needle, but I have not yet gone into that subject of meditation. I would like to know exactly what you meant by the use of that word in connection with the possible death of Ramon Orizaba.”
“I don’t think I meant the expression to be understood in exactly the way you took it,” replied Danton. “I did not mean that I had actually meditated murdering him.”