“Tell me what you know of his movements,” I urged.
I saw that the man regarded me with considerable suspicion.
“I presume, sir,” he said, “that you are an agent of police?”
“No, I’m not,” I assured him, rather surprised at his remark. “I’m simply making inquiry because—well, because my friend is now missing.”
“Then I’ll tell you what occurred, sir,” answered the German, with a slight accent. “The gentleman came in about four o’clock and asked me to shave him. When I began to put on the soap I realised, however, that he had himself been cutting off his beard closely. But I shaved him, and made no comment. We hairdressers are used to such things, yet they sometimes cause us a little wonder.”
“Ah!” I cried. “Then he left here with his beard shaven clean! He intended to disguise himself!”
“No doubt, sir,” replied the man, who seemed a particularly intelligent fellow. “Because, earlier in the day, while crossing the corridor, I had noticed him standing near the lift. He then had a full beard. I recollected the clothes he was wearing.”
“Did he talk to you?”
“Very little, sir. He seemed a gloomy, rather silent man.”
That was all he could tell me, though he declared that the gentleman had seemed very agitated and upset while he was being shaved. His hair was also cut, and his moustache trimmed.