Page:Bentley- Trent's Last Case (Nelson, nd).djvu/92

84 the ring, he was seated at the desk listening at the telephone, waiting for a number, as I supposed. He gave his orders and went on listening at the same time. When I returned with the syphon he was engaged in conversation over the wire.'

'Do you remember anything of what he was saying?'

'Very little, sir; it was something about somebody being at some hotel–of no interest to me. I was only in the room just time enough to place the syphon on the table and withdraw. As I closed the door he was saying, "You're sure he isn't in the hotel?" or words to that effect.'

'And that was the last you saw and heard of him alive?'

'No, sir. A little later, at half-past eleven, when I had settled down in my pantry with the door ajar, and a book to pass the time, I heard Mr. Manderson go upstairs to bed. I immediately went to close the library window, and slipped the lock of the front door. I did not hear anything more.'

Trent considered. 'I suppose you didn't doze at all,' he said tentatively, 'while you were sitting up waiting for the telephone message?'