Whatever sort of effect Dr Fell had hoped to produce, there was no question about an effect. Arbor's swarthy face turned white; literally white, for mottled blotches stood out against; his pallor. The thin eyeglasses jerked on his nose, and he covered them with a shaking hand. Undoubtedly Arbor had a weak heart. The effect was as much physical as nervous.
`You must — you must excuse me, gentlemen, he muttered. His voice grew stronger. `I it was the shock of hearing the name of — somebody — I did know. This — this Driscoll, was he a small young man, with — let me see — with reddish hair?'
`Yes,' said Dr Fell. `You did know him, then?'
'I met him — ah- Sunday before last, at dinner in Bitton's house. It was the day. I arrived. I hadn't caught his last name. They all called him Phil; that's how I remembered. How did he die?'
`He was stabbed with this crossbow bolt,' said Dr Fell, picking it up. `It comes from Bitton's house.'
The other said, `Most interesting — ' in a way that sounded like a horrible burlesque. But he was better now. `I don't want you to think, gentlemen, that I know anything of the poor boy's murder because I seemed — ah — upset when you mentioned it. After all, murderers don't do that, do they? `It would be too easy if they did. A person with courage enough to use one of those vicious-looking things isn't apt to faint when it's produced afterwards.. Bitton… poor devil. Does he know?'
`He knows, Mr Arbor. But about young Driscolclass="underline" you can't think of any reason for his murder?'
`My dear sir, no! No, of course not. I only met him once, at that dinner. I haven't seen him since.'
`He was killed, at the Traitors' Gate out there,' pursued Dr Fell, nodding, `and his body thrown on the steps. I don't suppose you noticed anything suspicious while you were there?'
`No. What I — er — wanted to tell you when I first came in was that it was only by chance I was detained here at all. You see, I wanted to examine that copy of Sir Walter Raleigh's History o f the World which is on display at the Bloody Tower, in the room where he wrote it. I arrived here shortly after one o'clock, and went directly to the Bloody Tower. I presented my card to the warder on duty, and asked whether I might make a detailed examination. He said he was sorry, but that it was a part of the Tower exhibits and that I couldn't handle it without a written order from the resident governor or deputy governor. Even then, he said, it was doubtful whether I could get the order. But I asked to be directed to where I might find either one. He sent me across the way… '
`Inside the ballium wall?' Hadley interrupted.
'Yes. To a row of buildings facing up towards; the Green and the parade-ground. But it was foggy, and there were several doors, and I was uncertain. When I hesitated, a man came out of one of the doors.'
`A man in knickerbockers and a cap?' Dr Fell inquired.
`I don't know. Er — yes, I believe he did wear knickerbockers I recall it because they seemed a bit absurd on such a day. But it was foggy, and I could not swear to it. I spoke to him to find out which door I should use, but he brushed past me without listening. Then another warder hailed me and told me that visitors were not permitted on the side of the grounds where I was walking. I explained. He then said he was positive neither of the persons I wanted to see were in their quarters at the time.'
`Quite correct,' said General Mason, dryly.
`But surely, gentlemen!' Arbor protested, wetting his lips, `surely you can't be interested…. You are? Well, let me see. I returned to the Bloody Tower and tried the judicious use of a bank-note. It was not accepted. So I determined to leave. On my way out to Water Lane I collided with a young lady who had just come under the arch of the gate from Water Lane and was walking very rapidly up the incline that goes towards the parade-ground.!
'Could you describe this young lady?'
'No, I'm afraid 'not. I scarcely glanced at her. All I remember is that she was in a great hurry, and that she wore some sort of fur collar, and that she seemed ah uncommonly solid. It gave me a jar when we bumped. My wristwatch was a bit loose, and I thought it had slipped off. Well, I walked through the arch of the Bloody Tower, into Water Lane…. ‘
'Now, Mr Arbor, for the Lord's sake think! Think! Was there anybody near the railing around Traitors' Gate then? Did you see anybody standing there?'
Arbor sat back. `I begin to see the drift,' he answered, nervously. 'I didn't go close to the rail, or look over. But there was nobody standing near it, Inspector. Nobody!'
`And could you remember the time then?'
'I can tell you the time precisely,' said the other. `It was just twenty-five minutes to two.'
9. The Three Hints
It was the placid Hadley who was momentarily jarred out of his calm then. `But look here!' he protested, `the police surgeon said he died at a quarter to….'
'Hold on!' bellowed Dr Fell. He struck the top of the desk such a sharp blow with his cane that the sheet of mauve notepaper fluttered, off. `That's what I was hoping and waiting for. And to think I never took this man's testimony of the murder before! I nearly passed it up; My friend, I am grateful. I am profoundly grateful… Now, you're absolutely positive of that time, are you?'
`Positive. As I told you, my encounter with the young lady had jarred my watch. I stepped back into the door of the Wakefield Tower to see whether it was in danger of slipping off, and I noted the time just before I walked down to Water Lane.'
`Get out your watches, gentlemen,' rumbled Dr Fell, `and let's compare notes. Eheu! So! it's a quarter past six.
That's what I have, anyhow. What about the rest of you?' `Quarter past six,' said General Mason. `Thirteen and a half minutes past,' said Rampole.
`And I?' concluded Arbor. `Fifteen and one half minutes past, to the second. I never am wrong. This watch was made by…'
`Never mind,' interposed Dr Fell. `We shan't row about half a minute. There is, however, one thing I should like to ask. You said you were on your way out at this time, Mr Arbor. But the murder wasn't discovered until half-past two. How is it you were caught here when the detention order was issued?'
`I left one of my gloves behind, on the railing round the Raleigh first-edition in the Bloody Tower. They're — ah — rather special gloves,' he explained, carelessly. `Carter of Fifth Avenue does them for me, and I have no other pair of exactly this sort.'
General Mason looked pained, and Arbor lifted the shiny grey hat from his lap and indicated the gloves.
`I was all the way to the Strand in my cab before I remembered, and I returned. It was about twenty minutes to three when I arrived, and then I couldn't, get out.'
`I hope that cabby isn't still waiting,' the General mused. `It would be unfortunate,' Mr Arbor, if such an unfortunate witness got his head bashed in. Hold on! Wait! I remember now. There s something I wanted to ask, you.'
`With pleasure.' Arbor frowned. `You are…?'
'I'm the man you wanted to see,' the General replied, with some asperity. `I'm the deputy governor of the Tower. And what's more, sir, I'm damned if I let you paw over that Raleigh book. General Sir Ian Hamilton presented that to us. What was I saying? Oh yes. About the Raleigh. You said you had never seen it. Is this your first visit to the Tower?'
'It is.'
`The reason I asked is that you have all the names down pat. You speak familiarly of "Water Lane", and the Green, and all the rest of it, when you didn't go any farther than the Bloody Tower.'
`Perfectly simple,' said, Arbor, with the air of a detective speaking to his dull-witted assistant. `I dislike, asking directions.' From his pocket he produced one of the green pamphlets. `This little guide, with a map, which I studied before entering the Tower at all, gave me a thorough working knowledge.'