THE SECRETARY
Quite unaware of the clue his chance remark had given to his visitors,
the banker touched an electric bell.
"Send Mr. Vass to me," he said when the clerk appeared; then turning
towards Torry, he added: "Mr. Grent's private secretary will be here
in a few minutes, he will be able to answer your questions better than
I."
"Was Mr. Vass in the confidence of the deceased, sir?"
"Entirely. He was Mr. Grant's right hand. I may inform you as a proof
of the confidence my poor friend put in him that Mr. Vass had, and
has, the key of Mr. Grent's private safe. I will leave you alone with
Vass, while I send a wire to my father in Paris, advising him of this
tragedy." He paused a moment, then continued: "I may also add that Mr.
Vass has been ill, and since Saturday has been confined to his bed; he
returned only this morning to his work."
"Oh!" thought Mr. Torry, smiling blankly to conceal his real thoughts;
"so Mr. Vass the confidential secretary, has been ill and absent, has
he? Now I wonder what is the meaning of that."
Perhaps Mr. Torry was too suspicious, as he saw a meaning--an evil
meaning--in everything. Leighbourne's explanation was a perfectly
reasonable one; still, as Torry considered, it was uncalled for. Why
should he take the trouble to explain the absence of the secretary?
There was no need to do so. Darrel was also struck by the needless
explanation, and thought that there was something doubtful about the
affair. Altogether, the detective and his helper were both prejudiced
against the secretary by that very innocent remark of Mr.
Leighbourne's, made probably in all good faith.
Vass made his appearance in a few minutes, and proved to be a
pale clean-shaven fellow of about twenty-eight. He wore
spectacles, and had rather a dry, pedantic air, as one given to study
and--comparative--seclusion.
"Mr. Vass," said Leighbourne when the clerk entered the room, "I have
sent for you to give these gentlemen all information about poor Mr.
Grent."
"Why poor Mr. Grent?" asked Vass, with mild surprise.
"I forgot you do not know. Well, I shall leave these gentlemen to
explain. I must send the telegram recalling my father."
"You will come back?" said Torry, as the banker walked towards the
door.
"If you wish me to," replied Leighbourne with frowning reluctance.
"I do wish it," said the detective decisively. "You must come with me
to identify the body; and it is possible that you may be required to
give your evidence at the inquest."
"Evidence--evidence!" cried the young man, passing his tongue over his
dry lips. "What evidence can I give? I--I--I do not want to attend the
inquest."
"You must, sir."
Leighbourne looked defiantly at the detective, and for a moment or so
the pair eyed one another in silence, then the weaker of the two
yielded. "If I must I must," said Leighbourne, sullenly. "I shall come
back;" and he passed out, closing the door behind him with such
unnecessary violence that it was plain he had departed in a bad
temper.
While this dialogue was proceeding Darrel had kept his eye on the face
of Vass. Although he had heard all that was said--and the words "body"
and "inquest" must have piqued his curiosity--his expression was one
of absolute unconcern. Only once did he betray any emotion, and that
was when Leighbourne left him alone with the two strangers; but when
Torry turned towards him, his face was again calm and composed. Frank
wondered what could be the meaning of this well-acted comedy.
"Mr. Vass," said Torry, intent upon trying the effect of a sudden
surprise. "I have to inform you that your master has been murdered."
Mr. Vass stepped back and threw up his hands. "Grent murdered!" he
cried in a voice rendered shrill by excitement. "Great Heavens! When?
Where?"
"In Mortality-lane near the Strand, on Sunday morning between twelve
and one o'clock. He was stabbed to the heart."
The secretary received this news with unfeigned horror, and evidently
having some womanish vein in his nature, burst into a fit of
hysterical weeping.
In spite of what he had beheld, Darrel felt his suspicions melt away
before this undeniable sorrow. In his own mind he decided that
whatever Vass might know, the intelligence of his master's death was
new to him, and had taken him completely by surprise.
Torry said nothing, but smiled approvingly when he beheld the outbreak
of Vass. Perhaps the secretary perceived the composure with which his
emotion was received by the strangers, and regained his nerve out of
pride; but whatever was the cause, he shortly became calm, and
expressed himself willing to answer any questions which might be put
to him. With a sign to Darrel not to speak, Torry promptly availed
himself of the offer.
"The cause of Mr. Grent's death," said he, "may be found in his past
life; so I wish you to tell me all you know about him. Have you been
his secretary long?"
"For over five years. He was the best and kindest and most generous of
masters," replied Vass with much emotion.
"Hm'!" said Torry, who did not put much faith in this posthumous
praise: "Your master was much respected?"
"Certainly. I never heard a word against him."
"He was married, I believe?"
"He was--to Donna Inez Sandoval, a Spanish-American lady; a native of
Peru."
"How was it that Mr. Grent met her?"
"Ten years ago he voyaged to Peru for the sake of his health,"
rejoined Vass: "and I understand he met with Donna Inez at Lima. They
were married there."
"In a Romish Church?"
"Certainly. Mr. Grent was a Roman Catholic, and his wife also."
"Are there any children?"
"No," said Vass, then added with some hesitation: "But Mr. Grent,
finding himself childless, adopted the niece of his wife, Donna Maria
Sandoval."
"How old is this lady?"
"Twenty years of age," replied the secretary, colouring--"and very
beautiful."
Darrel noted the expression of his face, and the enthusiasm of his
reply, which was rather in the tones of his voice than the substance
of his remark. "Oh!" thought the novelist, "can this be the proverbial
woman who has caused the trouble?"
"How long has Donna Maria been with Mr. Grent?"
"Two years, more or less."
"Of course, she speaks English?"
"Extremely well," answered Vass promptly. "She was taught by Miss
Lydia Hargone, who was quite like a daughter of the house, and left
only six weeks ago."
The nature of this reply seemed to strike Torry, for he made a note of
this last name, but without comment, resumed his inquiries. "Mr. Grent
lived at Wraybridge?"
"Yes. In Wray House, a large mansion on the banks of the Thames."
"Did he entertain much?"
"Largely. He was fond of company, and so was Donna Inez."
"Mrs. Grent, you mean?"
"I do," replied Vass tartly. "But she prefers to be addressed in the
Spanish style."
"Do you know if Mr. Grent had any very intimate friends."
"One or two," said the secretary, with some little hesitation.
"Can you give me the names of the one or two?" asked Torry politely.
"Well, Mr. Roderick Blake for one. He is an Irishman."
"So I should judge from the name," said the detective drily! "and
another friend, Mr. Vass?"
The man hesitated and finally came out with another Spanish name. "If
you insist upon knowing," said he, with reluctance, "there was Captain
Manuel?"
"Captain Manuel? Oh, indeed. Also from Peru?"
"Yes, he came over to see Donna Inez, who is a relative of his, and,
for the last three months, has been a constant visitor at Wray House."
"May I ask a question?" said Darrel at this moment.
Torry threw an inquiring glance in the direction of his friend and
nodded. "If you like," he said graciously, wondering at Darrel's
meaning.
"In that case," said Frank, looking at the secretary, "I shall ask Mr.
Vass if there are any love affairs at Wray House."
"Love affairs?" stammered Vass plainly taken aback. "I do not quite
catch your meaning."
"Oh, that is your romance," cried Torry with a sly hit at Darrel's
imagination.
The novelist shook his head. "Two young men--two young women," said
he, solemnly. "It is not in nature that there should not be some love
spring up between the four."
"Well, sir," said Vass, smiling a little, "I don't say but what you
are not right. Captain Manuel is paying his address to Donna Maria,
and I must admit that Miss Hargone is greatly admired by Mr. Blake."
"I thought so," said Darrel triumphantly, and signed to Torry to
continue his examination, which the detective did without further
remark.
"Do you know if Mr. Grent had any enemies?" he asked the secretary.
"So far as I know he had not one," replied Vass promptly. "Mr. Grent
was singularly popular."
"When did you see him last?"
"On Friday at four o'clock. He then said good-bye to me as he was
going to Italy the next day for four months. That was the reason; no
one was alarmed at his absence."
"Probably, so far as the bank was concerned," replied Torry
thoughtfully, "but in his own house?"
"Oh, I can explain that," said Vass, easily.
"Mr. Grent had chambers in town. Probably he took leave of his wife on
Friday, and purposed to stay at his chambers until he left for the
South. I dare say Donna Inez thinks that her husband is in Milan by
now."
"Where are these chambers?"
"In Duke-street, St. James's, Mr. Grent lived there by himself, so
there is no one likely to be alarmed at his absence."
"Had he not a valet?"
"No; the butler who kept the house attended to him, and as Mr. Grent
came and went as the fit seized him, the man would think nothing of
his not coming back to his rooms."
"H'm," said Torry, "I quite see all that. Did Mr. Grent take much
money with him?"
"He drew a cheque for twenty pounds for immediate expenses, but when
abroad he always used his cheque-book as more convenient than circular
notes."
Torry was disappointed with the result of his inquiries. Certainly he
had learnt a great deal relative to the social position and daily
habit of the dead man, but he had discovered nothing likely to throw
light on the mystery of the crime. He was to dismiss Vass with some
discontent, when Darrel rose to his feet, and, for reasons of his own,
produced the image of the Mummy. This he held towards Vass.
"Perhaps you can explain this?" he said imperatively.
To the surprise of both men the secretary gasped and turned pale, then
quietly fainted away.