“Miss Dillard tells me you called on her this morning.”
“I generally drop over during the day.” He was obviously uncomfortable and, I thought, a little embarrassed.
“Do you know Mrs. Drukker well?”
Pardee gave Vance a quick, inquisitive look.
“Not particularly,” he said. “I’ve naturally met her several times.”
“You’ve called at her house?”
“On many occasions, but always to see Drukker. I’ve been interested for years in the relation of mathematics to chess. . . .”
Vance nodded.
“How did your game with Rubinstein come out last night, by the by? I didn’t see the papers this morning.”
“I resigned on the forty-fourth move.” The man spoke hopelessly. “Rubinstein found a weakness in my attack which I had entirely overlooked when I sealed my move at the adjournment.”