“She did not!” Professor Dillard rose and faced Markham. “I understand perfectly what you are driving at; and I won’t have it. I’ve told you, Markham, that I’ll take no part in spying or tale-bearing where this unhappy woman is concerned. That’s all I have to say to you.” He turned back to his desk. “I regret I’m very busy to-day.”
We descended to the main floor and made our adieus to Arnesson. He waved his hand to us cordially as we went out; but his smile held something of contemptuous patronage, as if he had witnessed, and was gloating over, the rebuff we had just received.
When we were on the sidewalk Vance paused to light a fresh cigarette.
“Now for a brief causerie with the sad and gentlemanly Mr. Pardee. I don’t know what he can tell us, but I have a yearnin’ to commune with him.”
Pardee, however, was not at home. His Japanese servant informed us that his master was most likely at the Manhattan Chess Club.
“To-morrow will be time enough,” Vance said to Markham, as we turned away from the house. “I’ll get in touch with Doctor Barstead in the morning and try to arrange to see Mrs. Drukker. We’ll include Pardee in the same pilgrimage.”
“I sure hope,” grumbled Heath, “that we learn more to-morrow than we did to-day.”
“You overlook one or two consolin’ windfalls, Sergeant,” returned Vance. “We’ve found out that every one connected with the Dillard house was acquainted with Sprigg and could easily have known of his early morning walks along the Hudson. We’ve also learned that the professor and Mrs. Drukker were ramblin’ in the garden at eight o’clock this morning. And we discovered that a .32 revolver has disappeared from the archery-room.—Not an embarrassment of riches, but something—oh, decidedly something.”
As we drove down-town Markham roused himself from gloomy abstraction, and looked apprehensively at Vance.
“I’m almost afraid to go on with this case. It’s becoming too sinister. And if the newspapers get hold of that Johnny-Sprig nursery rhyme and connect the two murders, I hate to think of the gaudy sensation that’ll follow.”