manner brisk and impersonal. He gazed fully into Frances ’ eyes, his palms pressed against the top surface of the desk. “ Now, Miss Frances Ives-Pope, ” he said curtly, “ this is all the business I have to transact with you . . . . ” He dipped into his pocket and produced with something of the stage-magician ’ s celerity the rhinestone bag. “ I want to return your bag. ”
Frances half-rose to her feet, staring from him to the shimmering purse, the color drained from her face. “ Why, that ’ s ― that ’ s my evening bag! ” she stammered.
“ Precisely, Miss Ives-Pope, ” said Queen. “ It was found in the theatre ― tonight. ”
“ Of course! ” The girl dropped back into her seat with a little nervous laugh. “ How stupid of me! And I didn ’ t miss it until now . . . . ”
“ But, Miss Ives-Pope, ” the little Inspector continued deliberately, “ the finding of your purse is not nearly so important as the place in which it was found. ” He paused. “ You know that there was a man murdered here this evening? ”
She stared at him open-mouthed, a wild fear gathering in her eyes. “ Yes, I heard so, ” she breathed.
“ Well, your bag, Miss Ives-Pope, ” continued Queen inexorably, “ was found in the murdered man ’ s pocket! ”
Terror gleamed in the girl ’ s eyes. Then, with a choked scream, she toppled forward in the chair, her face white and strained.
Queen sprang forward, concern and sympathy instantly apparent on his face. As he reached the limp form, the door burst open and Stephen Barry, coat tails flying, catapulted into the room. Hilda Orange, Eve Ellis and Johnson, the detective, hurried in behind him.
“ What in hell have you done to her, you damned snooper! ” the actor cried, shouldering Queen out of the way. He gathered Frances ’ body tenderly in his arms, pushing aside the wisps of black hair tumbled over her eyes, crooning desperately in her ear. She sighed and looked up in bevvil-derment as she saw the flushed young face close to hers. “ Steve, I ― fainted, ” she murmured, and dropped back in his arms.
“ Get some water, somebody, ” the young man growled, chafing her hands. A tumbler was promptly pushed over his shoulder by Johnson. Barry forced a few drops down Frances ’ throat and she choked, coming back to consciousness. The two actresses pushed Barry aside and brusquely ordered the men to leave. Queen meekly followed the protesting actor and the detective.
“ You ’ re a fine cop, you are! ” said Barry scathingly, to the Inspector. “ What did you do to her ― hit her over the head with the policeman ’ s usual finesse? ”
“ Now, now, young man, ” said Queen mildly, “ no harsh words, please. The young lady simply received a shock. ”
They stood in a strained silence until the door opened and the actresses appeared supporting Frances between them. Barry flew to her side. “ Are you all right now, dear? ” he whispered, pressing her hand.
“ Please ― Steve ― take me ― home, ” she gasped, leaning heavily on his arm.
Inspector Queen stood aside to let them pass. There was a mournful look in his eyes as he watched them walk slowly to the main door and join the short line going out.
Chapter 6
In Which the District Attorney Turns Biographer
Inspector Richard Queen was a peculiar man. Small and wiry, thatched with gray and wrinkled in fine lines of experience, he might have been a business executive, a night watchman, or what he chose. Certainly, in the proper raiment, his quiet figure would mold itself to any disguise.
This ready adaptability was carried out in his manner as well. Few people knew him as he was. To his associates, to his enemies, to the forlorn scraps of humanity whom he turned over to the due processes of the law, he remained ever a source of wonder. He could be theatrical when he chose, or mild, or pompous, or fatherly, or bulldogging.
But underneath, as someone had said with an overemphatic
Frances half-rose to her feet, staring from him to the shimmering purse, the color drained from her face. “ Why, that ’ s ― that ’ s my evening bag! ” she stammered.
“ Precisely, Miss Ives-Pope, ” said Queen. “ It was found in the theatre ― tonight. ”
“ Of course! ” The girl dropped back into her seat with a little nervous laugh. “ How stupid of me! And I didn ’ t miss it until now . . . . ”
“ But, Miss Ives-Pope, ” the little Inspector continued deliberately, “ the finding of your purse is not nearly so important as the place in which it was found. ” He paused. “ You know that there was a man murdered here this evening? ”
She stared at him open-mouthed, a wild fear gathering in her eyes. “ Yes, I heard so, ” she breathed.
“ Well, your bag, Miss Ives-Pope, ” continued Queen inexorably, “ was found in the murdered man ’ s pocket! ”
Terror gleamed in the girl ’ s eyes. Then, with a choked scream, she toppled forward in the chair, her face white and strained.
Queen sprang forward, concern and sympathy instantly apparent on his face. As he reached the limp form, the door burst open and Stephen Barry, coat tails flying, catapulted into the room. Hilda Orange, Eve Ellis and Johnson, the detective, hurried in behind him.
“ What in hell have you done to her, you damned snooper! ” the actor cried, shouldering Queen out of the way. He gathered Frances ’ body tenderly in his arms, pushing aside the wisps of black hair tumbled over her eyes, crooning desperately in her ear. She sighed and looked up in bevvil-derment as she saw the flushed young face close to hers. “ Steve, I ― fainted, ” she murmured, and dropped back in his arms.
“ Get some water, somebody, ” the young man growled, chafing her hands. A tumbler was promptly pushed over his shoulder by Johnson. Barry forced a few drops down Frances ’ throat and she choked, coming back to consciousness. The two actresses pushed Barry aside and brusquely ordered the men to leave. Queen meekly followed the protesting actor and the detective.
“ You ’ re a fine cop, you are! ” said Barry scathingly, to the Inspector. “ What did you do to her ― hit her over the head with the policeman ’ s usual finesse? ”
“ Now, now, young man, ” said Queen mildly, “ no harsh words, please. The young lady simply received a shock. ”
They stood in a strained silence until the door opened and the actresses appeared supporting Frances between them. Barry flew to her side. “ Are you all right now, dear? ” he whispered, pressing her hand.
“ Please ― Steve ― take me ― home, ” she gasped, leaning heavily on his arm.
Inspector Queen stood aside to let them pass. There was a mournful look in his eyes as he watched them walk slowly to the main door and join the short line going out.
Chapter 6
In Which the District Attorney Turns Biographer
Inspector Richard Queen was a peculiar man. Small and wiry, thatched with gray and wrinkled in fine lines of experience, he might have been a business executive, a night watchman, or what he chose. Certainly, in the proper raiment, his quiet figure would mold itself to any disguise.
This ready adaptability was carried out in his manner as well. Few people knew him as he was. To his associates, to his enemies, to the forlorn scraps of humanity whom he turned over to the due processes of the law, he remained ever a source of wonder. He could be theatrical when he chose, or mild, or pompous, or fatherly, or bulldogging.
But underneath, as someone had said with an overemphatic
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