superintendent battle arrived at wallingford about six o'clock. it was his intention to learn as much as he could from innocent local gossip before interviewing miss anne meredith. it was not difficult to glean such information as there was. without committing himself definitely to any statement, the superintendent nevertheless gave several different impressions of his rank and calling in life. at least two people would have said confidently that he was a london builder come down to see about a new wing to be added to the cottage, from another you would have learned that he was one of these weekenders wanting to take a furnished cottage," and two more would have said they knew positively, and for a fact, that he was the representative of a hardcourt tennis firm. the information that the superintendent gathered was entirely favourable. "wendon cottage? yes, that's right--on the marlbury road. you can't miss it. yes, two young ladies. miss dawes and miss meredith. very nice young ladies,. too. the quiet kind. "here for years? oh, no, not that long. just over two years. september quarter they came in. mr. pickersgill they bought it from. never used it much, he didn't, after his wife died." superintendent battle's informant had never heard they came from northumberland. london, he thought they came from. popular in the neighbourhood, though some people were old-fashioned and didn't think two young ladies ought to be living alone. but very quiet, they were. none of this cocktail-drinking week-end lot. miss rhoda, she was the dashing one. miss meredith was the quiet one. yes, it was miss dawes what paid the bills. she was the one had got the money. the superintendent's researches at last led him inevitably to mrs. astwell--- who "did" for the ladies at wendon cottage. mrs. astwell was a loquacious lady. "well, no, sir. i hardly think they'd want to sell. not so soon. they only got in two years ago. i've done for them from the beginning, yes, sir. eight o'clock till twelve, those are my hours. very nice, lively young ladies, always ready for a joke or a bit of fun. not stuck-up at all.""well, of course, i couldn't say ffit's the same miss dawes you knew, sir--the same family, i mean. it's my fancy her home's in devonshire. she gets the cream sent her now and again, and says it reminds her of home; so i think it must be.
"as you say, sir, it's sad for so many young ladies having to earn their livings nowadays. these young ladies aren't what you'd call rich, but they have a very pleasant life. it's miss dawes has got the money, of course. miss anne's her companion, in a manner of speaking, i suppose you might say. the cottage belongs to miss dawes.
"i couldn't really say what part miss anne comes from. i've heard her mention the isle of wight, and i know she doesn't like the north of england; and she and miss rhoda were together in devonshire, because i've heard them joke about the hills and talk about the pretty coves and beaches."the flow went on. every now and then superintendent battle made a mental note. later, a cryptic word or two was jotted down in his little book.
at half-past eight that evening he walked up the path to the door of wendon cottage.
it was opened to him by a tall, dark girl wearing a frock of orange cretonne. "miss meredith live here?" inquired superintendent battle. he looked very wooden and soldierly. "yes, she does.""i'd like to speak to her, please. superintendent battle."he was immediately favoured with a piercing stare.
"come in," said rhoda dawes, drawing back from the doorway.
anne meredith was sitting in a cosy chair by the fire, sipping coffee. she was wearing embroidered crape-de-chine pyjamas.
"it's superintendent battle," said rhoda, ushering in the guest.
anne rose and came forward with outstretched hand.
"a bit late for a call," said battle. "but i wanted to find you in, and it's been a fine day."anne smiled.
"will you have some coffee, superintendent? rhoda, fetch another cup." "well, it's very kind of you, miss meredith.""we think we make rather good coffee," said anne.
she indicated a chair, and superintendent battle sat down. rhoda brought a cup, and anne poured out his coffee. the fire crackled and the flowers in the vases made an agreeable impression upon the superintendent.
it was a pleasant homey atmosphere. anne seemed self-possessed and at herease, and the other girl continued to stare at him with devouring interest. "we've been expecting you," said anne.
her tone was almost reproachful. "why have you neglected me?" it seemed tosay.
"sorry, miss meredith. i've had a lot of routine work to do.""satisfactory?"
"not particularly. but it all has to be done. i've turned dr. roberts inside out, so to speak. and the same for mrs. lorrimer. and now i've come to do the samefor you, miss meredith." anne smiled. "i'm ready.""what about major despard?" asked rhoda.
"oh, he won't be overlooked. i can promise you that," said battle.
he set down his coffee-cup and looked towards anne. she sat up a little straighter in her chair.
"i'm quite ready, superintendent. what do you want to know?""well, roughly, all about yourself, miss meredith.""i'm quite a respectable person," said anne, smiling.
"she's led a blameless life, too," said rhoda. "i can answer for that.""well, that's very nice," said superintendent battle cheerfully. "you'veknown miss meredith a long time, then?"
"we were at school together," said rhoda. "what ages ago it seems, doesn'tit, anne?"
"so long ago, you can hardly remember it, i suppose," said battle with achuckle. "now, then, miss meredith, i'm afraid i'm going to be rather like thoseforms you fill up for passports."
"i was born "began anne.
"of poor but honest parents," rhoda put in.
superintendent battle held up a slightly reproving hand.
"now, now, young lady," he said.
"rhoda, darling," said anne gravely. "it's serious, this.""sorry," said rhoda.
"now, miss meredith, you were born--where?"
"at quetta, in india."
"ah, yes. your people were army folk?"
"yes--my father was major john meredith. my mother died when i was eleven. father retired when i was fifteen and went to live in cheltenham. he diedwhen i was eighteen and left practically no money." battle nodded his head sympathetically. "bit of a shock to you, i expect.""it was, rather. i always knew that we weren't well off, but to find there waspractically nothing--well, that's different.""what did you do, miss meredith?"
"i had to take a job. i hadn't been particularly well educated and i wasn't clever. i didn't know typing or shorthand, or anything. a friend in cheltenham found me a job with friends of hers--two small boys home in the holidays, andgeneral help in the house."
"name, please?"
"that was mrs. eldon, the larches, ventnor. i stayed there for two years,and then the eldons went abroad. then i went to a mrs. deering.""my aunt," put in rhoda.
"yes, rhoda got me the job. i was very happy. rhoda used to come and stay sometimes, and we had great fun.""what were you there companion?"
"yes--it amounted to that.".
"more like under-gardener," said rhoda.
she explained:
"my aunt emily is just mad on gardening. anne spent most of her time weeding or putting in bulbs.""and you left mrs. deering?"
"her health got worse, and she had to have a regular nurse.""she's got cancer," said rhoda. "poor darling, she has to have morphia and things like that.""she had been very kind to me. i was very sorry to go," went on anne.
"i was looking about for a cottage," said rhoda, "and wanting some one to share it with me. daddy's married again--not my sort at all. i asked anne to come here with me, and she's been here ever since.""well, that certainly seems a most blameless life," said battle. "let's just get the dates clear. you were with mrs. eldon two years, you say. by the way, what is her address now?" "she's in palestine. her husband has some government appointment out there---i'm not sure what." "ah, well, i can soon find out. and after that you went to mrs. deering?" "i was with her three years," said anne quickly. "her address is marsh dene, little hembury, devon." "i see," said battle. "so you are now twenty-five, miss meredith. now, there's just one thing morthe name and address of a couple of people in cheltenham who knew you and your father." anne supplied him with these. "now, about this irip to switzerland where you met mr. shaitana. did you go alone there--or was miss dawes here with you?" "we went out together. we joined some other people. there was a. party of eight." "tell me about your meeting with mr. shaitana." anne crinkled her brows. "there's really nothing to tell. he was just there. we knew him in the way you do know people in a hotel. he got first prize at the fancy dress ball. he went as mephistopheles." superintendent battle sighed. "yes, that always was his favourite effect." "he really was marvellous," said rhoda. "he hardly had to make-up at all." the superintendent looked from one girl to the other. "which of you two young ladies knew him best?" anne hesitated. it was rhoda who answered. "both the same to begin with. awfully little, that is. you see, our crowd was the skiing lot, and we were off doing runs most days and dancing together in the evenings. but then shaitana seemed to take rather a fancy to anne. you know, went out of his way to pay her compliments, and all that. we ragged her about it, rather." "i just think he did it to annoy me," said anne. "because i didn't like him. i think it amused him to make me feel embarrassed." rhoda said, laughing: "we told anne it would be a nice rich marriage for her. she got simply wild with us." "perhaps," said battle, "you'd give me the names of the other people in your party?" "you aren't what i'd call a trustful man," said rhoda. "do you think that every word we're telling you is downright lies?" superintendent battle twinkled. "i'm going to make quite sure it isn't, anyway," he said. "you are suspicious," said rhoda. she scribbled some names on a piece of paper and gave it to him. battle rose. "well, thank you very much, miss meredith," he said. "as miss dawes says, you seem to have led a particularly blameless life. i don't think you need worry much. it's odd the way mr. shaitana's manner changed to you. you'll excuse my asking, but he didn't ask you to marry him--or-er--pester you with attentions of another kind?" "he didn't try to seduce her," said rhoda helpfully. "if that's what you mean."anne was blushing. "nothing of the kind," she said. "he was always most polite and and-- formal. it was just his elaborate manners that made me uncomfortable." "and little things he said or hinted?" "yes-at least--no. he never hinted things." "sorry. these lady-killers do sometimes. well, good-night, miss meredith. thank you very much. excellent coffee. good-night, miss dawes." "there," said rhoda as anne came back into the room after shutting the front door after battle. "that's over, and not so very terrible. he's a nice fatherly man, and he evidently doesn't suspect you in the least. it was all ever so much better than i expected." anne sank down with a sigh. "it was really quite easy," she said. "it was silly of me to work myself up so. i thought he'd try to browbeat me--like k.c. s on the stage." "he looks sensible," said rhoda. "he'd know well enough you're not a murdering kind of female." she hesitated and then said: "i say, anne, you didn't mention being at croftways. did you forget?" anne said slowly: "i didn't think it counted. i was only there a few months. and there's no one to ask about me there. i can write and tell him if you think it matters; but i'm sure it doesn't. let's leave it." "right, if you say so." rhoda rose and turned on the wireless. a raucous voice said: "you have just heard the black nubians play 'why do you tell me lies, baby?'"
