"With that, sir, he dragged me into a corner, and put my face to the wall--and--and--I stayed there, sir!"
I began to whimper. "I--I--take shame to admit I played the coward, sir," I blubbed out.
"But if--if you'd heard him--speak, sir--and seen the look in his eyes--sir--you--you--may be----'"
"Enough!" he interjected very sharply. "I'm not blaming you, my man, I'm asking for information. How long did you stay in the corner where he put you?"
"I don't know, sir. I seemed to hear noises for hours and hours, sir--and--and--" here I broke down with a really artistic sob. "It's turned me quite grey, sir--all about the temples--and I was brown as brown--last evening, sir!"
Sir William got to his feet and placed a hand upon my shoulder.
"There, there, Brown, compose yourself!" he said in kinder tones. "I can see that you have had a great fright, and you were right to run no risks. But tell me did you send for the police after you discovered that the man had gone?"
"I--no, sir," I stammered. "You told me on no account to leave the house!"
"Well, sir--I--I--I--simply daren't venture outside the house, sir!" I blurted out.
My master frowned and shook his head. "Just as well, perhaps!" he muttered to himself. He added in a louder key. "Well, my man, you have given me much to think over, and I have trouble enough upon my hands already."
"A dear friend of mine is dead. You know him, Brown, Mr. George Cavanagh. He shot himself last night in his studio!"
It was on the tip of my tongue to scream out--"in his studio!" I was so surprised, but I restrained myself just in time and cried instead:--
"Good heavens! sir, how awful! Why did he do it, sir?"
Sir William shrugged his shoulders. "They say that it was in a fit of despair, because the great picture he was painting was accidentally destroyed by fire. But you may read for yourself, Brown, the morning papers are full of it!"
The papers! I had never even thought to look at one. I had been so preoccupied. My master went on speaking. "I'll go upstairs, Brown, and have a bath," he said, "after which I shall attend the inquest!"
"But your double, sir!" I cried. "Ought not we to tell the police at once about him, sir?"
He shook his head. "No, no, Brown. Better not, better not. He is probably some friend of mine who has been playing a practical joke at my expense. Keep what has happened to yourself, Brown. I do not wish to be laughed at!"