His voice, his manner, made it apparent to the two women that escape was hopeless. They seemed suddenly to realize it, to give up further ideas of resistance.
"Very well," Miss Norman said, "we will go."
"Good." Duvall turned to Leary. "Take those two suit cases, Leary, and get another cab." In silence the little party made its way to the street. The two women said nothing on the way back to the apartment, and Duvall did not question them. There was time enough for that, he reflected, after they reached their destination. Within less than an hour from the time of their departure, their entire party was back in the woman's apartment.
The janitor was still there on guard, but the body of the dead monkey had been removed. Duvall, requesting Leary to remain, closed the door. The janitor rose and came toward them.
"Look here, Miss Norman," he began, "who's going to pay for that broken lamp and them vases and ornaments?"
The woman regarded him with a stare, but said nothing.
"Never mind about those things now," Duvall said. "They can remain. I have some questions of much greater importance to ask these ladies. You need not wait. In fact, I should prefer that you did not. The matter is a private one." The janitor took his departure, grumbling to himself, and Duvall closed and bolted the door. Then he requested the two women to be seated. They obeyed without a word.
"Why did you send those threatening messages to Miss Morton?" he suddenly asked, addressing himself to Miss Norman.
"I'll answer no questions," she flung at him. "You can't prove I sent anybody any messages."
"You saw this woman enter Miss Morton's hotel to-night and go up in the elevator, did you not?"
"Do you deny that?" The detective once more addressed Miss Norman.
"No. What of it? How do you know I went to Miss Morton's room?" Her defiance was in no way lessened. Duvall saw that she meant to deny her guilt utterly. He turned to Leary.
"This woman came to you, did she not, with a request that you spy on my wife's movements, and inform her concerning them?"
"You will admit, I presume, that you fainted at the theatre the other night when the picture of the death's-head seal was thrown on the screen, and that later you escaped from the cab in which I had placed you?"