"But he did go out," said Torry, "and never returned. Could you not see in the morning that his bed had not been slept in."
"Beg pardon," replied the butler--Meek was his name and Meek his nature--"but Mr. Grent was a very peculiar gentleman, sir. He told me never to go into his rooms unless he rang the bell, so, as he did not ring the bell, I did not venture into his rooms. When I heard that he was murdered I did."
"Yes, sir. He must have gone out about eleven, but I did not hear him."
"Did Mr. Grent ever receive visitors here?"
"Sometimes, sir," replied Meek. "He had one in the afternoon of the Saturday--a tall dark gentleman who looked like a foreigner. He was in some foreign army, too," added garrulous Mr. Meek, "for when I took up his card to Mr. Grent I saw he was a Captain."
"It was Captain something sir, but I really can't remember the exact name."
"H'm," said Torry thoughtfully, "I have no doubt it is the same person I have in my mind. Any other visitor?"
"A lady came sometimes, sir. She came shortly after the Captain on that Saturday."
"I can't say. She never gave her card, and always wore a heavy veil."
"Not by her personal appearance, sir; but she did wear a peculiar ring. On Saturday she was paying her cab, and took off her right-hand glove to find a piece of gold which had slipped into a corner of her purse. I then noticed that on the third finger she wore a silver ring set with three blue stones."
"Turquoise stones, no doubt," said Torry. "I'll make a note of that, as I should like to know who this woman is."
"But, sir!" cried Meek in dismay, "you don't think this lady has had anything to do with the murder?"
Torry shrugged his shoulders. "As to that," he remarked tritely, "I can only say that a woman is at the bottom of every trouble. This may be the woman concerned in this especial affair."
At this moment Mr. Leighbourne arrived according to appointment, and, with Torry, he was conducted up stairs into the chambers of the late Mr. Grent. These had a damp musty smell as though they had been uninhabited for some time, and both bedroom and sitting-room were in a state of great confusion. Travelling-rugs, dressing-bags, and portmanteaux were scattered about the sitting-room, and in the bedroom there were piles of shirts, heaps of clothes, and all the impedimenta of a man bound on a long journey. What particularly struck Torry was the presence of a large American trunk, half full of wearing apparel.