Aristocracy (Social class) -- Fiction; Europeans -- United States -- Fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction
"Then, all I got to say is that they're not the women I mean. If I'd
been out here when they left I probably could have put you wise. But I
was in there listenin' to what Con McFaddan was sayin' to poor old
Spangler. The woman I mean is a dressmaker. She ain't got any more of a
limo than I have. Did you notice what they looked like?"
The Scotland Yard man, staring gloomily up the rain-swept street,
confessed that he hadn't noticed anything but the chauffeur's face.
"Well, there you are," remarked the sallow-faced man, shrugging his
shoulders in a patronizing, almost pitying way.
The Londoner winced.
"I distinctly heard the chauffeur say 'Very good, my lady,'" he said,
after a moment. "That was a bit odd, wasn't it, now? You don't have any
such things as titles over 'ere, do you?"
"Sure. Every steamer brings one or two of 'em to our little city."
The Englishman scratched his head. Suddenly his face brightened.
"I remember, after all,--in a vague sort of way, don't you know,--that
one of the ladies had white hair. I recall an instant's speculation on
my part. I remember looking twice to be sure that it was hair and not a
bit of lace thrown--"
"That's the party," exclaimed the sallow-faced man. "Now we're getting
somewhere."
The next afternoon, the man from Scotland Yard paid a visit to
Deborah's. Not at all abashed at finding himself in a place where all
save angels fear to tread, he calmly asked to be conducted into the
presence of Mrs. Sparflight. He tactfully refrained from adding "alias
Deborah, Limited. London, Paris and New York." He declined to state his
business.
"Madam," said he, coming straight to the point the instant he was
ushered into the presence of the white-haired proprietress, "I sha'n't
waste your time,--and mine, I may add,--by beating about the bush, as
you Americans would say. I represent--"
"If you are an insurance agent or a book agent, you need not waste any
time at all," began Mrs. Sparflight. He held up his hand deprecatingly.
"--Scotland Yard," he concluded, fixing his eyes upon her. The start she
gave was helpful. He went on briskly. "Last night you were at a certain
restaurant. You departed during the thunder-storm in a limousine driven
by a young man whose face is familiar to me. In short, I am looking for
a man who bears a most startling resemblance to him. May I prevail upon
you to volunteer a bit of information?"
Mrs. Sparflight betrayed agitation. A hunted, troubled look came into
her eyes.
"I--I don't quite understand," she stammered. "Who--who did you say you
were?"
"My name is Chambers, Alfred Chambers, Scotland Yard. In the event that
you are ignorant of the character of the place called Scotland Yard, I
may explain that--"
"I know what it is," she interrupted hastily. "What is it that you want
of me, Mr. Chambers?" She was rapidly gaining control of her wits.
"Very little, madam. I should very much like to know whose car took you
away from Sprinkler's last night."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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