“Only the two Japanese,” she replied. “They do all the cooking and serving at table; all the cleaning of the house; and the rest, my daughter and myself attend to.”
“Yes, but the garage is a few blocks away, and the chauffeur lives at home.”
“He had very fine written recommendations, but from people I did not know, and too far away to inquire of. I took him on trial.”
“He seemed so—but he was silent and moody—a man one could scarcely understand.”
“Can you imagine his killing his master—granting the opportunity?”
Mrs. Peyton considered. “I can imagine it,” she said, “but I shouldn’t like to say I would suspect him of it. He was soft-footed, and went about with a sort of stealthy manner, but I’m not prepared to say he was wrong in any way.”
Ito came, and stood stolidly by. His impassive demeanor was not unlike that of Gordon Lockwood. Waring had sometimes remarked this in a chaffing way to his secretary.
“Only since he came here,” answered the butler, in perfect English.
“Neither yes nor no. He knew little of his duties, but he was willing to learn. He was respectful to me, and friendly enough. I had no reason to dislike him.”
Morton didn’t seem to get anywhere with this man.
“Well, what do you think of his character?” he said. “Would you say he was capable of killing his employer?”
“All men are capable of crime,” said the Jap, in a low, even voice, “but he could not kill Doctor Waring and go away leaving the study locked on the inside.”
“That I do not know. It may be he tired of the place here.”
Morton had an uncomfortable feeling that the Japanese was scornful of him, and, worse still, that the other listeners were also.
“You may go,” he told Ito, and then, turning to Lockwood, he said, a little belligerently, “Who is in charge here? To whom do I make my report?”
The question was like a bombshell. All were silent, until Mrs. Bates said, “I suppose I am what might be called in charge. You may report to me.”
“To you, ma’am?” Morton was, clearly, surprised.
“Yes; as Doctor Waring’s affianced wife, and as his heir, I feel I am in authority. And also, I wish all reports made to me, as I am the one most deeply interested in learning the identity of the murderer.”
“If he was murdered,” supplemented Mrs. Bates.