Page:Yellow Claw 1920.djvu/38

 “Go ahead, Inspector!” he said. “I am anxious to tell you all I know. God knows I am anxious to tell you.”

A sound was heard of a key being inserted in the lock of a door.

Four pairs of curious eyes were turned toward the entrance lobby, when the door opened, and a sleek man of medium height, clean shaven, but with his hair cut low upon the cheek bones, so as to give the impression of short side-whiskers, entered in a manner at once furtive and servile.

He wore a black overcoat and a bowler hat. Reclosing the door, he turned, perceived the group in the study, and fell back as though someone had struck him a fierce blow.

Abject terror was written upon his features, and, for a moment, the idea of flight appeared to suggest itself urgently to him; but finally, he took a step forward toward the study.

“Who’s this?” snapped Dunbar, without removing his leonine eyes from the newcomer.

“It is Soames,” came the weary voice of Leroux.

“Butler?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s he been?”

“I don’t know. He remained out without my permission.”

“He did, eh?”

Inspector Dunbar thrust forth a long finger at the shrinking form in the doorway.