In the Onyx Lobby Part 24

"I am," was the quiet reply; "now, Miss Prall, you'll be obliged to answer a few questions, whether you like it or not."

Corson's tone, though courteous, was severe, and the Grenadier, while not frightened, gave him a look of curiosity and intense interest.

"Go on," she said, briefly.

"This feud between yourself and Mrs Everett is a matter of long standing, I believe. You can't, therefore, object to my reference to it.

What was its cause?"

"Oh, it's so old now, that its cause is sunk in oblivion." Let.i.tia smiled sourly. "But it has been added to by other causes as time went on, and thus new fuel has kept the fire burning."

"Keep the home fires burning," said Richard, with a mocking smile at his aunt, who heeded it not.

"And so," she went on, "the feud, as it has come to be called, is as strong and well-nourished as ever."

"Yet you two ladies elect to live under the same roof."

"To nurse the feud along," Bates a.s.serted, and the Grenadier nodded a.s.sent.

"However," she added, "Mrs Everett is about to move away."

"What!" cried Richard.

"Yes," repeated his aunt, evidently pleased with the fact, "she is going soon."

"Thus," offered Corson, "you will be relieved of two undesirable people at once."

"Meaning Mrs Everett and her daughter?" queried Eliza.

"Not at all. Meaning Mrs Everett and Sir Herbert Binney."

"Oh!" gasped Miss Prall. "Don't put it that way!"

"Why not? Since it's the truth. You now can have the pleasure of seeing your nephew pursue----"

"Don't talk about me as if I weren't here!" exclaimed Richard. "Or as if I were a minor or an incompetent! I'm devoted to my aunt; I love, honor and obey her, but I'm a man with a mind of my own. And when it runs counter to the desires or plans of my aunt--well, we must fight it out between ourselves. However, Mr Corson, I can't see that the affairs of my aunt and myself, or the affairs of my aunt and her fellow-feudist, Mrs Everett, have any connection with or bearing on the murder of Sir Herbert Binney. If they seem to you to have such a bearing, I think it is right that you should tell us all about it."

"I take it, then, that we are working in unison,--at least, in concord?"

"You may certainly a.s.sume that as far as I am concerned," said Bates, but the two women present seemed by their silence to reserve judgment.

"First, Miss Prall, I'd like to hear from you what plans Sir Herbert had, so far as you know, regarding the sale of his great bakery business."

"I know a great deal about that, Mr Corson, as Sir Herbert not only discussed the matter with me, but did me the honor to ask my advice, considering that my judgment was of value."

"No doubt. And you advised him?"

"I advised him to sell out to Crippen,--of _Crippen's Cakes_. You know of the firm?"

"Yes, indeed; who doesn't? It's the largest of its sort in the country."

"Unless one excepts the Vail Bakery. But that's bread."

"And aren't buns bread?"

"That was part of the controversy. However, Sir Herbert and Mr Vail had their bout before the matter was taken up by the Crippen people. Mr Vail didn't see his way clear to combine his bread with Sir Herbert's buns.

But Mr Crippen thought the buns would go well with his cake business, and they were on the point of coming to an agreement in the matter.

Indeed, Sir Herbert told me he expected to see Mr Crippen last evening----"

"He didn't. I've interviewed Mr Crippen and he told me so."

"Might they not have met after the Magnifique supper?"

"What!" Corson looked at Miss Prall in surprise. "You mean----"

"Oh, nothing,--nothing connected with the--the tragedy, of course. But perhaps the interview did occur, and for some reason Mr Crippen doesn't want it known--can't you see, Mr Corson, that it's a queer thing that n.o.body comes forward to tell where Sir Herbert was those last two hours of his life? Well, mightn't he have been with Mr Crippen,--remember, he told me he expected to see him,--and whatever their conference resulted in, might not Mr Crippen have wished it kept quiet----"

"And so, denied it? Why, it might be so, Miss Prall,--but in such a serious case Mr Crippen would hesitate before he would be anything but sincere in his story. It's a risky matter to falsify when a murder case is being investigated!"

"I know it," and Miss Prall smoothed the folds of her gown placidly.

"But, you see, I know Mr Crippen."

"Oh, come now, Auntie," broke in Richard, "just because Crip was an old beau of yours, don't say things against him."

"I'm not saying anything against him, Ricky, I only say I know him. If that's a damaging admission, it's his fault, not mine."

The Grenadier set her lips in a straight line, and looked sternly at Corson. "You can draw any deductions you wish, Mr Corson," she went on, acidly, but positively; "I tell you that I know Mr Crippen very well, and I wouldn't believe a word he says, unless I had the corroboration of another."

"Be careful, Let.i.tia," warned Miss Gurney.

"You shut up, Eliza! I'll say what I choose."

"Do, Miss Prall," urged Corson. "You're decidedly interesting. May I be forgiven if I look about a little. What unusual curios and treasures you possess."

"I do; but this is no time to examine or comment on those. If you have questioned me all you wish,--though, for my part, I don't think you've questioned me at all,--suppose we consider this interview at an end."

"Why, Aunt Let.i.tia, have you no wish to find out who killed Uncle Herbert?" asked Richard.

"I can't say that I have. He's dead; no punishment of his murderer can bring him back. He was no relative of mine, nor was he such a friend that I'm thirsting to avenge his life. For my part, I only want to have the matter hushed up. The unavoidable publicity and notoriety are most distressing!"

"I haven't questioned you much, I admit, Miss Prall," observed the detective, "but I have found out a great deal since I have been here."

"Yes?" she returned, coolly, with a haughty nod.

"Yes; are you interested to know what I have learned?"

"I am not. It is all beneath my notice. I a.s.sume you will use your information in any way you see fit--but the way, nor the result, interests me not at all."

"Don't talk like that, Let.i.tia," and Eliza looked deeply concerned. "Mr Corson will think you a hard-hearted woman."