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 favored 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 crepe de Chine pajamas.
'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 vase made an agreeable impression upon the superintendent.
It was a pleasant homey atmosphere. Anne seemed self-possessed and at her ease 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 to say.
'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 Doctor Roberts inside out, so to speak. And the same for Mrs. Lorrimer. And now I've come to do the same for 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 toward 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've known Miss Meredith a long time, then?'
'We were at school together,' said Rhoda. 'What ages ago it seems, doesn't it, Anne?'
'So long ago you can hardly remember it, I suppose,' said Battle with a chuckle. Now then, Miss Meredith, I'm afraid I'm going to be rather like those forms 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 died when 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 was practically 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 and general 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 someone 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 Rattle. 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 more – the name and address of a couple of people in Cheltenham who knew you and your father.'
Anne supplied him with these.
'Now about this trip 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 favorite effect.'
'He really was marvelous,' 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
