Mollyfeltquiteunabletosnubhim."Yes,"shesaid,andaddedinaburstofconfidence,"we'donlyknowneachotherafortnight."

Herthoughtswentbackoverthosefourteendaysofwhirlwindcourtship.Therehadn'tbeenanydoubts-theyhadbothknown.Inaworrying,nerve-rackedworld,theyhadfoundthemiracleofeachother.Alittlesmilecametoherlips.

ShecamebacktothepresenttofindSergeantTrottereyingherindulgently.

"Yourhusbanddoesn'tcomefromtheseparts,doeshe?"

"No,"saidMollyvaguely."HecomesfromLincolnshire."

SheknewverylittleofGiles'schildhoodandupbringing.Hisparentsweredead,andhealwaysavoidedtalkingabouthisearlydays.Hehadhad,shefancied,anunhappychildhood.

"You'rebothveryyoung,ifImaysayso,torunaplaceofthiskind,"saidSergeantTrotter.

"Oh,Idon'tknow.I'mtwenty-twoand-"

ShebrokeoffasthedooropenedandGilescamein.

"Everything'sallset.I'vegiventhemaroughoutline,"hesaid."Ihopethat'sallright,Sergeant?"

"Savestime,"saidTrotter."Areyouready,MrsDavis?"

Fourvoicesspokeatoncea.s.sergeantTrotterenteredthelibrary.

HighestandshrillestwasthatofChristopherWrendeclaringthatthiswastoo,toothrillingandhewasn'tgoingtosleepawinktonight,andplease,pleasecouldwehaveallthegorydetails?

Akindofdouble-ba.s.saccompanimentcamefromMrsBoyle."Absoluteoutrage-sheerincompetence-policehaven.o.businesstoletmurderersgoroamingaboutthecountryside."

MrParaviciniwaseloquentchieflywithhishands.Hisgesticulationsweremoreeloquentthanhiswords,whichweredrownedbyMrsBoyle's...o...b..eba.s.s.MajorMetcalfcouldbeheardinanoccasionalshortstaccatobark.Hewasaskingforfacts.

Trotterwaitedamomentortwo,thenheheldupanauthoritativehandand,rathersurprisingly,therewa.s.silence.

"Thankyou,"hesaid."Now,MrDavishasgivenyouanoutlineofwhyI'mhere.Iwanttoknowonething,andonethingonly,andIwanttoknowitquick.Whichofyouha.s.someconnectionwiththeLongridgeFarmcase?"

Thesilencewasunbroken.FourblankfaceslookedatSergeantTrotter.Theemotionsofafewmomentsback-excitement,indignation,hysteria,inquiry,werewipedawayasaspongewipesoutthechalkmarksonaslate.

SergeantTrotterspokeagain,moreurgently."Pleaseunderstandme.Oneofyou,wehavereasontobelieve,isindanger-deadlydanger.Ihavegottoknowwhichoneofyouitis!"

Andstillnoonespokeormoved.

SomethinglikeangercameintoTrotter'svoice."Verywell-I'llaskyouonebyone.MrParavicini?"

AveryfaintsmileflickeredacrossMrParavicini'sface.Heraisedhishandsinaprotestingforeigngesture.

"ButIamastrangerintheseparts,Inspector.Iknownothing,butnothing,oftheselocalaffairsofbygoneyears."

Trotterwastednotime.Hesnappedout,"MrsBoyle?"

"ReallyIdon'tseewhy-Imean-whyshouldIhaveanythingtodowithsuchadistressingbusiness?"

"MrWren?"

Christophersaidshrilly,"Iwasamerechildatthetime.Idon'trememberevenhearingabout.i.t."

"MajorMetcalf?"

TheMajorsaidabruptly,"Readabout.i.tinthepapers.Iwa.s.stationedatEdinburghatthetime."

"That'sallyouhavetosay-anyofyou?"

Silenceagain.

Trottergaveanexasperatedsigh."Ifoneofyougetsmurdered,"hesaid,"you'llonlyhaveyourselftoblame."Heturnedabruptlyandwentoutoftheroom.

"Mydears,"saidChristopher."Howmelodramatic!"Headded,"He'sveryhandsome,isn'the?Idoadmirethepolice.Sosternandhard-boiled.Quiteathrill,thiswholebusiness.'ThreeBlindMice.'Howdoesthetunego?"

Hewhistledtheairsoftly,andMollycriedoutinvoluntarily,"Don't!"

Hewhirledroundonherandlaughed."But,darling,"hesaid,"it'smysignaturetune.I'veneverbeentakenforamurdererbeforeandI'mgettingatremendouskickoutofit!"

"Melodramaticrubbish,"saidMrsBoyle."Idon'tbelieveawordofit."

Christopher'slighteyesdancedwithanimpishmischief."Butjustwait,MrsBoyle,"heloweredhisvoice,"tillIcreepupbehindyouandyoufeelmyhandsroundyourthroat."

Mollyflinched.

Gilessaidangrily,"You'reupsettingmywife,Wren.It'sad.a.m.nedpoorjoke,anyway."

"It'snojokingmatter,"saidMetcalf.

"Oh,but.i.tis,"saidChristopher."That'sjustwhat.i.tis-amadman'sjoke.That'swhatmakesitsodeliciouslymacabre."

Helookedroundatthemandlaughedagain."Ifyoucouldjustseeyourfaces,"hesaid.

Thenhewentswiftlyoutoftheroom.

MrsBoylerecoveredfirst."Asingularlyill-manneredandneuroticyoungman,"shesaid."Probablyaconscientiousobjector."

"Hetellsmehewasburiedduringanairraidforforty-eighthoursbeforebeingdugout,"saidMajorMetcalf."Thataccountsforagooddeal,Idaresay."

"Peoplehavesomanyexcusesforgivingwaytonerves,"saidMrsBoyleacidly."I'msureIwentthroughasmuchasanybodyinthewar,andmynervesareallright."

"Perhapsthat'sjustaswellforyou,MrsBoyle,"saidMetcalf.

"Whatdoyoumean?"

MajorMetcalfsaidquietly,"Ithinkyouwereactuallythebilletingofficerforthisdistrictin1940,MrsBoyle."

HelookedatMollywhogaveagravenod."Thatisso,isn't.i.t?"

AnangryflushappearedonMrsBoyle'sface."Whatofit?"shedemanded.

Metcalfsaidgravely,"YouwereresponsibleforsendingthreechildrentoLongridgeFarm."

"Really,MajorMetcalf,Idon'tseehowIcanbeheldresponsibleforwhathappened.TheFarmpeopleseemedveryniceandweremostanxioustohavethechildren.Idon'tseethatIwastoblameinanyway-orthatIcanbeheldresponsible-"Hervoicetrailedoff.

Gilessaidsharply,"Whydidn'tyoutellSergeantTrotterthis?"

"n.o.businessofthepolice,"snappedMrsBoyle."Icanlookaftermyself."

MajorMetcalfsaidquietly,"You'dbetterwatchout."

Thenhe,too,lefttheroom.

Mollymurmured,"Ofcourse,youwerethebilletingofficer.Iremember."

"Molly,didyouknow?"Gilesstaredather.

"Youhadthebighouseonthecommon,didn'tyou?"

"Requisitioned,"saidMrsBoyle."Andcompletelyruined,"sheaddedbitterly."Devastated.Iniquitous."

Then,verysoftly,MrParavicinibegantolaugh.Hethrewhisheadbackandlaughedwithoutrestraint.

"Youmustforgiveme,"hegasped."But,indeed.Ifindallthismostamusing.Ienjoymyself-yes,Ienjoymyselfgreatly."

SergeantTrotterre-enteredtheroomatthatmoment.HethrewaglanceofdisapprovalatMrParavicini."I'mglad,"hesaidacidly,"thateveryonefindsthissofunny."

"Iapologize,mydearInspector.Idoapologize.Iamspoilingtheeffectofyoursolemnwarning."

SergeantTrottershruggedhisshoulders."I'vedonemybesttomakethepositionclear,"hesaid."AndI'mnotaninspector.I'monlyasergeant.I'dliketousethetelephone,please,MrsDavis."

"Iabasemyself,"saidMrParavicini."Icreepaway."

Farfromcreeping,helefttheroomwiththatjauntyandyouthfulstepthatMollyhadnoticedbefore.

"He'sanoddfish,"saidGiles.

"Criminaltype","saidTrotter."Wouldn'ttrusthimayard."

"Oh,"saidMolly."Youthinkhe-buthe'sfartooold-Orisheoldatall?Heusesmakeup-quitealotofit.Andhiswalkisyoung.Perhaps,he'smadeuptolookold.SergeantTrotter,doyouthink-"

SergeantTrottersnubbedherseverely."Weshan'tgetanywherewithunprofitablespeculation,MrsDavis,"hesaid."ImustreporttoSuperintendentHogben."

Hecrossedtothetelephone.

"Butyoucan't,"saidMolly."Thetelephone'sdead."

"What?"Trotterswunground.

Thesharpalarminhisvoiceimpressedthemall."Dead?Sincewhen?"

"MajorMetcalftrieditjustbeforeyoucame."

"But.i.twasallrightbeforethat.YougotSuperintendentHogben'smessage?"

"Yes.Isuppose-sincethen-theline'sdown-withthesnow."

b.u.t.trotter'sfaceremainedgrave."Iwonder,"hesaid."Itmayhavebeen-cut."

Mollystared."Youthinkso?"

"I'mgoingtomakesure."

Hehurriedoutoftheroom.Gileshesitated,thenwentafterhim.

Mollyexclaimed,"Goodheavens!Nearlylunchtime,Imustgeton-orwe'llhavenothingtoeat."

a.s.sherushedfromtheroom,MrsBoylemuttered,"Incompetentchit!Whataplace.Ishan'tpaysevenguineasforthiskindofthing."

SergeantTrotterbentdown,followingthewires.HeaskedGiles,"Isthereanextension?"

"Yes,inourbedroomupstairs.ShallIgoupandseethere?"

"Ifyouplease."

Trotteropenedthewindowandleanedout,brushingsnowfromthesill.Gileshurriedupthestairs.

MrParaviciniwasinthebigdrawing-room.Hewentacrosstothegrandpianoandopenedit.Sittingonthemusicstool,hepickedoutatunesoftlywithonefinger.

ThreeBlindMice,Seehowtheyrun...

ChristopherWrenwasinhisbedroom.Hemovedabout.i.t,whistlingbriskly.Suddenlythewhistlewaveredanddied.HesatdownontheedgeofthebedHeburiedhisfaceinhishandsandbegantosob.Hemurmuredchildishly,"Ican'tgoon."

Thenhismoodchanged.Hestoodup,squaredhisshoulders."I'vegottogoon,"hesaid."I'vegottogothroughwithit."

GilesstoodbythetelephoneinhisandMolly'sroom.Hebentdowntowardtheskirting.OneofMolly'sgloveslaythere.Hepickeditup.Apinkbusticketdroppedoutofit.Gilesstoodlookingdownat.i.tasitflutteredtotheground.Watchingit,hisfacechanged.Itmighthavebeenadifferentmanwhowalkedslowly,asthoughinadream,tothedoor,openedit,andstoodamomentpeeringalongthecorridortowardtheheadofthestairs.

Mollyfinishedthepotatoes,threwthemintothepot,andsetthepotonthefire.Sheglancedintotheoven.Everythingwasallset,goingaccordingtoplan.

Onthekitchentablewasthetwo-day-oldcopyoftheEveningStandard.Shefrowneda.s.shelookedat.i.t.Ifshecouldonlyjustremember- Suddenlyherhandswenttohereyes."Oh,no,"saidMolly."Oh,no!"

Slowlyshetookherhandsaway.Shelookedroundthekitchenlikesomeonelookingatastrangeplace.Sowarmandcomfortableands.p.a.cious,withitsfaintsavorysmellofcooking.

"Oh,no,"shesaidagainunderherbreath.

Shemovedslowly,likeasleepwalker,towardthedoorintothehall.Sheopenedit.Thehousewa.s.silentexceptforsomeonewhistling.

Thattune- Mollyshiveredandretreated.Shewaitedaminuteortwo,glancingoncemoreroundthefamiliarkitchen.Yes,everythingwasinorderandprogressing.Shewentoncemoretowardthekitchendoor.