Persons Unknown Part 14

"And during all this talk about Mr. Ingham's murder, at one-fifteen, it never occurred to you that at just before one, you had taken up to his floor a man whom you had never seen, whom you never saw again, and who turned toward his apartment?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I never thought of it till this minute."

"Think hard, now. Give us a good description of this man."

"A description of him?"

"Yes, yes. What did he look like?"

"Why, I don't hardly know, sir."

"Try and remember. He at least, I presume, did not remind you of Miss Hope?"

"No, sir; he didn't remind me of anything."

"He looked so unlike other people?"

"No, sir. He looked just like all gentlemen."

"I see, Joseph, that you don't observe your own s.e.x with the pa.s.sionate attention which you reserve for ladies. Well, had he a beard or a mustache?"

"No, sir, he hadn't any beard, I'm sure."

"Come, that's something! And no mustache?"

"Well, I don't think so, sir. But I wouldn't hardly like to say."

"Was he light or dark?"

"I never noticed, sir."

"Was he tall?"

"Well, sir, I should say he was about middle height."

"About how old?"

"Oh, maybe thirty, sir. Or forty, maybe. Or maybe not so old."

"Stout?"

"No, sir."

"Ah! He was slender, then?"

"Well, I shouldn't say he was either way particular, sir."

"How was he dressed, then?"

"Well, as far as I can remember; he had on a suit, and a straw hat."

"Was the suit light or dark?"

"About medium, sir."

"Not white, then? Nor rose color, I presume? Nor baby blue?"

"No, sir."

"Black?"

"I don't think so, sir."

"Well, was it brown, gray, navy-blue?"

"Well, it seems like it might have been a gray, the way I think of it.

But then, again, when I think of it, it seems like it might ha' been a blue."

"Thank you, Joe. Your description is most accurate. It's a pity you're not a detective."

"There's no use getting mad at me, Mister," Joe protested. "I'm doing the best I know."

"I'm sure you are. If Mr. Ingham's second anonymous visitor had only been a lady, what revelations we should have had! But this unfortunate and insignificant male, Mr. Patrick. Should you know him again if you saw him?"

"I think so, sir. I wouldn't hardly like to say."

"Well, to get back to more congenial topics!--The lady who was not Miss Hope--you would know her, I presume?"

"Oh, yes, sir!"--Joe hesitated.

"Out with it!" commanded the coroner.

"Why, it's only--why, anybody'd know her, sir. They couldn't help it.

She had--" He paused, blus.h.i.+ng.

"She had--what?"

"I couldn't hardly believe it myself, sir. She had--I'm afraid you'll laugh."

"Oh, not at you, Joe! Impossible!"

"Well, she had a blue eye, sir."

"A blue eye! You don't mean she was a Cyclops?"

"Sir?"

"She had more than the one eye, hadn't she?"