" Any sign of the police?" " No, no sign." " Looks like we're getting away with it." " Good." " How far is it to your father's boat?" " Two hours with luck." "Your luck seems to be very good, touching wood." "Could you tell me now what happened?" "I'd really like to know." "Only if you feel like it." "It's Charlotte Inwood." " She's in a jam." " That doesn't surprise me." "No, this is serious, Eve." "Deadly serious." "She was all over the place." "I had to help her." "Anybody would have." "I was in my kitchen." "It was about 5:00." "The doorbell rang, and I went downstairs to see who it was." "Jonnie, you love me." "Say that you love me." "You do love me, don't you?" "I think he's dead." "I'm sure he's dead." "I didn't mean it." "I didn't mean it." " Who's dead?" " My husband." "We had a terrible quarrel about you." "Oh, he was vile." "You know the sort of things he can say." "He started to hit me." "I grabbed something." "I was out of my mind with fear." "Oh, what am I to do?" "Darling, pull yourself together." "He may not be." "The curtains, Jonnie." "Draw the curtains." "I thought I had some brandy." "Here, drink this." "He was an abominable man." "Why do women marry abominable men?" " Where was all this?" " In my bedroom." " Anyone else in the house?" " I left the servants in the country." "I drove up early to have an hour's rest before the performance." "Oh, what shall I do?" "I can't go on." "I can't." " Has anyone seen you?" " No." "I don't think so." "There wasn't a soul in the street." "I jumped into my car and came here." "It's parked around the corner." "Oh, Jonnie, what will they do to me?" "Don't tremble like that." "We'll find a way." "We'll see you're all right." "But you must call the theater." "I can't play tonight." "Tell them I'm ill." "Heavens, it'll be true enough." "No, you must go on tonight." "You've got to." "As if nothing had happened." "Nothing has happened." "You drove straight to the theater, do you understand?" "You haven't been home at all." "Now, get that into your head." "But my dress." "There's blood on it." " I must go back and change." " No, you can't do that." "Or I could go myself." "Oh, darling, could you?" "There's no one there." "I'd give you the key." "There's a blue dress like this in the big cupboard next to my window in the bedroom." "Here's the key." " Are you sure the servants aren't back?" " No, but you must hurry." "Oh, please, Jonnie." "This is my only chance." " You will, won't you?" " It's a risk." "Let me think a minute." "I mean..." "Well, you know I want to help you, but..." "Go or don't go." "It's all the same." "I thought you loved me." " Doesn't matter now." " Oh, my dear." "My darling." "I'd do anything for you." "You know that." "I'll be as quick as I can." "It was your maid, Nellie." "Oh, yes." "She was going to the house to pick up some shoes I need for the show." " Did she recognize you?" " I don't know." "You ought to get to the theater." "The police are bound to go there to tell you the news." "Give me my belt, darling, will you?" "Oh, Jonnie, what have I done to you?" "If Nellie recognized you, it won't be safe here." " You ought to go away." " I don't think that'll do much good." "But they'll come here." "You must go at once." "Oh, my dearest darling, you have saved me." "We must think of you now." "You've got to hide." "What do I care what happens to me?" "Your job is to try to forget everything." "Let me do the worrying." "I'll find a way." "Then we'll start again, won't we, you and I?" "No more stealth and cheating and lying." "I must hurry, darling." "But I worry about you." "Well, you mustn't." "You're an actress." "You're playing a part." " No nerves when you're on." " I'll try." "My dress!" " I'll get rid of that." "Don't worry." " Don't come down." "We shouldn't be seen together." " Au revoir, my darling." " Au revoir." "And for heaven's sake, don't worry." " Yes?" " May I speak to Miss Eve Gill, please?" "Oh, dear, no." "I'm afraid she isn't in." "She was going for the weekend to her father but I thought she'd be back." " Yes, that's right." "She got back last night." "She's had rehearsals all day today at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art." "You know, the RADA." "Do you know when she...?" "Where she is now?" "Didn't you hear?" "She's at the RADA rehearsing." " Jonathan Cooper?" " Yes." "We're police officers." "May we see you for a few minutes?" "Most certainly." "Please come in." " Tell you that I can't possibly accede to your request." "I've come to this decision after giving the matter my earnest consideration." "Stop me if ever there was such an ungrateful child!" "No, darling." "Don't run your words into one another." " The child most shamefully." "Is it not in your memory that we, too, years ago suffered the follies and fevers of youth?" "If our blood runs cooler and more temperate, let us not account to ourselves for virtue, but place it to the credit of the soothing balm of the passage of years that we have fortifications against the distempers of juvenility." "You were wont to be kinder than this." "No, Papa, you are cruel." "If all parents were of your mind marriage would be an impossibility." "Then what would become of the human race?" " Go away." "What are you doing here?" " The police are after me." "Do you see them?" "You have not, I hope, forgotten the tragedy..." "They think I killed a man." "Can you hide me on your father's boat?" "Are you so heartless as to wish...?" "They've just gone." "I was under the impression that this was a class of intelligent students trying to master an extremely difficult and beautiful art." "I haven't the pleasure of knowing you, young man but I shall report your behavior to Sir Kenneth." "Now we will begin the rehearsal again, with the other cast." " This cast think acting is fun and games." " I'm terribly sorry, Miss Ashton." " Oh, Jonathan." " Let's go." "Have you got your car here?" "It's parked in front." "I'll show you to the back entrance and pick you up there." "Eve, do you hate me now that you know about Charlotte and me?" "Why, I could never hate you, Jonathan because we're..." "We're such old friends." "And..." "Well, just because." "But I do wish I'd taken lessons on the second fiddle." "Good old Eve." "Bring him in here." "It's warmer." "Do you think I behaved like a fool?" "On the whole, I think so." "I think your boyfriend has behaved like a fool." "I have a strong premonition that I'm going to behave like a fool." " It's infectious." " Do you mean you're going to help him?" "Why not?" "He's a friend of yours, isn't he?" " Oh, yes." " I see." "More than a friend, eh?" "When I'm with him, I get a feeling in here that..." "That's sort of..." "Yes." "Well, we'll go into the symptoms later." "Meanwhile, I take it you're either keen on him or still hungry." "I'm in love with him." "You've roped him, but he's not yet broken to harness." "Is that it?" "I wish Charlotte Inwood was in..." "Oh, do you?" "I've seen her on the stage." "She'd have made me laugh, if I hadn't been strictly on my guard." "Well, she couldn't make me laugh, off or on the stage." "I can't bear to sit by and see what she's doing to Jonathan." "She's like an evil spirit." "Just look at him!" "Ruined, and by a woman." "Now you want me to take the ruins for a little cruise." " Well, is that it?" " I thought you could take him across the channel or to the Irish coast." "Then he could hide out a bit." "The journey sounds attractive, but less so to help a suspected murderer to escape, particularly with my reputation." "There's nothing wrong with your reputation." "Oh, indeed." "I rather flattered myself that there was." "As a matter of fact, the customs people have their eye on me." "I'm suspected of being a smuggler." " Well, you're not." " Oh, yes, I am." "One cask of brandy?" "That doesn't mean you're a smuggler." " Two casks." " That was 15 years ago." "I've done one or two other things since that I didn't tell you or your mother about." " Can't have been very much." " Of course not." "Not very much." "Nothing could appear very much to a murderer's moll." "But I never hope to be appreciated." "Yes, your mother cured me of that." "That's why I never could be bothered with your mother." "I appreciate you, Father." "You and Captain Kidd are my favorite heroes." "My child, I am not deceived." "If there's one thing I cannot bear, it's insincerity." "But you've got to help him." "You will help him, won't you?" "He's lonely." "He hasn't got any friends but me, and maybe you." " You will help him, won't you?" " He hasn't got me yet." "You're just dying to get into a part of this, and you know you are." "A part in this melodramatic play, you mean?" "That's the way you're treating it, Eve." "As though it were a play you were acting in at the Academy." "Everything seems a fine acting role when you're stage-struck doesn't it, my dear?" "Here you have a plot, an interesting cast even a costume, little the worse for wear." "Unfortunately, Eve, in this real and earnest life we must face the situation and all its bearings." "Yes." "What do you mean?" "Well, Miss Charlotte Inwood appears to be an expert in garden paths." "I think she's led your young friend up the garden path." "I think we should hesitate before we follow him." " But why?" " I don't know how this bloodstain got onto this dress, but I do know that somebody smeared it on deliberately." "But why should they do that?" "Well, Miss Inwood is an actress, a very good one." "She has an eye for an emotional situation." "Supposing she wanted our somnolent young friend to go to her house and be spotted there." "Well, this sanguinary garment would provide a very plausible reason." "A very plausible reason indeed." "So that's why she didn't change her dress before she went to his rooms." "Well, I cannot imagine Miss Inwood going to see her young man..." "Or your young man, whose ever young man he is, in this nasty, messy condition." "No." "This dress is a clue, my dear, a very important clue." "And though it grieves me, of all people, to have to say it, Eve I think we should go to the police." "Jonathan!" "Jonathan, wake up." "Jonathan, how far do you think you could trust Charlotte?" "I'd trust her with my life." "What do you mean?" "This bloodstain was put here deliberately." "Don't be ridiculous." "You're trying to turn me against Charlotte, but you can't." "What's this doing here, anyhow?" "It should have been destroyed hours ago!" "Fool!" "There goes the evidence that could've helped you." "I'm doing all this for Charlotte's sake." "You're just jealous of her!" "Young man, I'd remind you you're my daughter's guest." "I'd like better manners from you." "Oh, I am sorry, Eve." "Please forgive me." "I lost my head for a moment." "I can hardly think." "I'm almost dead for want of sleep." "I wonder, would it be too much trouble if I went to bed?" "That is, if Commodore Gill wants to let me stay." "Your room is at the head of the stairs." "You'll be quite comfortable." "And if you want anything to read in bed you'll find some quite good murder mysteries in there." "Beg your pardon." "Look, Eve..." "But he's just gone..." "At last we are alone and unobserved." "You know, I'm beginning to enjoy this." "Father, do you think she arranged to put the suspicion on Jonathan?" " Do you think she deliberately framed him?" " The thought had crossed my mind." "That was why I reluctantly suggested that our friends, the police, ought to be told." "But it's too late." "Our only evidence has gone up the chimney." "But we must help him." "He'll do nothing for himself." "He's hopelessly in love with that woman." "It's up to us." "Yes, but it won't be easy." "It is easy." "I'll go to her and see her myself." " Would that be wise?" " But I don't care if it is or not." "I'll tell her we know how the bloodstain got on the dress and every move of her game." "I'll make her talk." "It'll be one woman to another." "An impressive situation at any time." "She won't be able to help but give herself away." "You'll see." "I won't see." "I won't be there, and neither will you." "If we're right in what we think, she's a dangerous woman." "She won't give herself away." "You'd be giving her an alternative." "She has no alternative." "She might murder you." "Oh, don't be so melodramatic, Father." "Look, my love." "Face facts." "What is the least that can happen to you if you tackle this remarkable lady?" "She'll at once pick up a little pink telephone and call the police." "She will then give you in charge for concealing a fugitive from justice." "Eventually, you will be tried at the Old Bailey." "Well, if you're lucky, you might get off with, now, let me see a couple of years, which you will spend in Holloway prison meditating on the folly of transmuting melodrama into real life." "Well..." "The best thing you can do, my girl, is to go back to your Academy and practice your soul-shaking antics in surroundings where they can't do any harm." "After all, this fellow can't possibly mean all that to you." "But he does, Father." " Move along, please." " But I'd like..." "Now move along, ma'am." "This is nothing to see." "Hello, Father?" "I'm outside the Inwood house." "Outside?" "Why not inside?" "Don't be ridiculous, Father." "The police won't let anyone near the place." "Really?" "How very extraordinary." "Look, you've done your best." "Come back here and decide about the man that came to dinner." "Oh, I feel awful." "I've been listening to the people in the crowd talking and they assume that you-know-who is guilty and all the police have to do is catch him." "It's terrifying." "Yes, but the police may not think he's guilty." "After all, they work in secret, you know." "They may have their own ideas about a certain lady." "I wish I knew what the police were thinking." " Well, look, why not ask them?" " Well, that's easier said than done." "Oh, just a minute, Father." " Father, goodbye now." " Eve..." "I'll see you back at the office about 2:00, sir." "May I have a small brandy, please?" "Madam." "Pardon my intrusion, but is there, by any chance any assistance I could be of?" " No, thank you." " I don't know how you pick up all the dirt." " Oh, I get around." "Any case, I know Munson's..." "Right from the horse's mouth." "I most solemnly assure you, madam it would be a pleasure, if there was any assistance I could be of." "Thank you very much." "If you will allow me to say so, you look depressed." "Yes, the cheering word, the helping hand..." "I'm perfectly all right." "Oh, good." "Right." "Good, good." "Is there anything I can do?" "Look, I don't know your trouble, but you don't look very well to me." "A little brandy can't do you any harm." "Why not drink it?" "My great-aunt died over a glass of brandy, but it was her 15th that day." " Feeling any better?" " Yes, thank you." "You left your lunch over there." "It won't feel lonely." "I'll go back to it in a minute." "Perhaps you're allergic to bars." "Look would you feel less uneasy if I sat with you, or more so?" " Perhaps you're allergic to strange men too." " No." "I love strange men." " I mean, I'm very fond of them." " I'll just go and get my lunch." "The butler told me." "Never saw such a sight." "They say his head was bashed in." "I heard they clocked him so hard his false teeth went across the room." "I know I'm pretty silly, but I overheard two people on the street today talking about the murder." "They went into a lot of detail." "I felt so sick and giddy, I just had to come in and have a brandy." "My father says I tend to overdramatize everything." "I expect he's right." "I know how you feel, though." "I hate violence myself." "Doesn't that make it rather difficult for you?" "I mean, I think we ought to face up to the ugly side of life." "Now, me, for instance." "I'm an actress." "I ought to face up to all sorts of experiences, oughtn't I?" "Oh, I don't know." "Supposing I happened to be a librarian." "A librarian doesn't encounter much violence except an occasional encyclopedia falling." "But you're not a librarian, are you?" "No, I'm not." "How do you know?" "Well, you just don't look like a librarian." " You don't look like an actress." " Oh?" "I thought I did." "Well, I'm only a beginner, really." "That is, I've only played one part in public." " Could I have seen you?" " I don't think so." "It was in the church hall." "I played the fourth deadly sin." " Were you good?" " I was pretty deadly." "What was this Jonathan Cooper after?" " I heard there was nothing stolen." " Perhaps he did it for the fun of it..." "Poor Charlotte Inwood." "Imagine coming home and finding your husband horribly dead policemen and detectives all over the house, and the blood..." "Careful, careful." "Remember, you're sensitive to that sort of thing." "You'll bring on another fainting fit." "I hear that Charlotte Inwood's going back into the show in a couple of days." "Must be dreadful to sing and dance with that horrible picture still burning in one's mind." "Oh, it's the old story, "Is not the actor the man with a heart?" all over again." "I once had a cousin who had a duodenal ulcer and an extremely funny face, both at the same time." "Everybody laughed when he was telling his symptoms." "His name was Jim." "That must have been terrible." "Oh, I don't know." "Jim's quite a common name." "I wonder what Charlotte Inwood is really like." "Really, I mean." " Oh, hello, Nellie." " That's Charlotte Inwood's maid." "Hello, Nellie." "I didn't expect to see you so soon." "How are you bearing up after last night?" "Mrs. Tippet, what I've been through." "All those policemen." "Bothering you with a lot of questions." "Questions?" "They've been asking me this, asking me that, all morning long." "I didn't know whether I was coming or going." "Gin and lemon, please, Mrs. Tippet." " Not too much lemon, dear." " Okay." "Mind you, they never laid a finger on me, but, oh, the questions." "Nag, nag, nag." ""How did you know it was Mr. Cooper?" "How many times you seen him and where?" "And did he give you anything?" Blimey, he never gave me nothing." ""And how long you been Miss Inwood's maid?"" "They was gentlemanly and polite, all right but give me the bleeding Russians any day, dear." "Yes." "You gotta watch your step when you're up against the police." "If that wasn't enough, when I came out of the house the reporters pounced on me with their questions, asking me the lowdown." "I just jumped out of my skin when that photographer's flashbulb went." "Well, I mean, fancy taking my picture." "You're quite a celebrity, you lucky girl." "I'll have to buy the Daily Mirror tomorrow." "Of course, I'm not saying a word to the reporters." "Not a word." "After all, who discovered the body?" "I'll be a star witness at that trial, and my story ought to be worth something and I've no intention of giving it away." " Isn't she talking too much?" " Too much, too loud, too everything." "How do you feel now?" "Oh, I feel a little better, thank you." "I have to go." "I don't like leaving you here alone." "Do you feel fit enough to let me see you home?" " I have a car." " Perhaps you'd better let me drive it for you." "Well, that's very kind of you." "I do still feel a bit wobbly." "To be quite honest, it isn't kindness at all." "I mean, I'm afraid I maneuvered it." "How clever of you." "You've got something there, Fred." "I'll drink to that, on you." "A double gin and lemon, please." "Double?" "All right, Nellie, I hope it chokes you." "You don't miss a trick, do you?" "You're always on the make." "My mother's really a dear." "My father, too, but they shout at one another and neither one like to shout." "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this." "You've been extraordinarily kind and you know nothing whatsoever about me." "Oh, I don't know, Miss Gill." "You were born in South Africa." "The 17th of September, wasn't it?" "Educated in America and you're studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art." "Your parents don't live together." "You're a very well-behaved lady, but allergic to murder, and that drove you to drink." "I hope it's only temporary." "But I don't even know your name." "I only know that you play the piano." "I'm so sorry." "It was stupid of me." "I forgot." "My name is Smith." "Just ordinary Smith?" "A detective?" "I hope you don't mind." "Oh, no." "Of course not." "Well, I'm delighted." "By the way, I don't suppose you and your mother are interested in tea with a detective, that is." "Of course." "Especially with a detective." " Would you like to have tea with us?" " Oh, I'd love to." "How about this afternoon?" " Well, tomorrow, then?" " Yes." "Yes." "That's fine." "And I could take your place." "You'd never get away with it." "What makes you think you could be a maid?" "It would only be for a day or two." "You'd have to be her dresser down at the theater." "You couldn't do that." "That's very highly skilled work." " Well, I could if you told me how." " It sounds phony to me." "All this trouble just to get a newspaper story." "Well, we women reporters have a tough job competing with the men especially on important stories like this." "And what paper are you on, may I ask?" "Well, I can't tell you that." "If anything should go wrong, it would be embarrassing for the paper." "Oh?" "And what about my job?" "Suppose Miss Inwood found out I was passing you off as my cousin." "I'm not sure she won't smell a rat." "I never been away ill for years." "But anyone could go sick." "And I could do it, really I could." "I've..." "I've done a bit of acting." "Character acting?" " Yes." " I see." "All you gotta do is put on some old clothes and make yourself look common like me." "Let me explain why it's so important that I get the right slant on this." "I think there's a romance between Miss Inwood and this man named Cooper." "And where did you get this idea?" "Do you know what I think?" " I think you're snooping for the police." " Oh, no..." "I saw you this morning sitting on this very seat with a detective." "Oh, well, that was Wilfred Smith." "He's an old friend of mine." "I didn't get a thing out of him." "Charlie, double gin and lemon, please." " Not too much lemon, dear." " Same for me." "I can get five times that much from any newspaper when the case is over." "Why not get both?" "Caught you, have I?" "Hope I don't intrude on some deep conspiracy." "And I hope you find yourself no worse for your distressing experiences." "Haven't I met your charming friend before?" "I know that face." "This is my cousin Doris, Mr. Fortesque." "Oh, yeah." "Charming." "Charming." "Perhaps as dear Nellie didn't provide me with your surname you'll let me call you Doris, eh?" "Mrs. Mason, I can't think what I've done with my reading glasses." "Have you seen them anywhere?" " Could I...?" " Oh, there you are." "Help me find my glasses, Eve, darling." "I can't see a thing." "I'm Doris Tinsdale." "I'm from Nellie." "Move along there, please." "I'm Doris Tinsdale." " Miss Inwood's expecting me." " Oh, yes." "You're the temporary Nellie sent along." "Just wait over here a minute." "We'd like to see Miss Inwood." "Can I have a few words with you as well?" "By all means." "Will you step this way, please?" "I understand you've been in service now for six or seven years." "Six years and nine months, to be precise..." "Come in." "Okay, yes." "I'll come around the box office tonight." " What did they say, Freddie?" " More cancellations." "Oh, how stupid people are." "Even if my understudy's legs are so peculiar she's just as good as I am." "She knows darn well she'd better not be." "That's not the point." "It's you they want to see." " Well, what do you want?" " I'm from Nellie." "Madam's expecting me." "The new girl's here, Charlie." "No, no." "This doesn't fit me." "Here, here." "Pull it up on this side." "The other side too." "You know that, don't you?" "Excuse me, madam." "Read it to me, dear." ""Dear Madam, this will introduce my cousin Doris who is in every way a good girl."" "Not so loud." ""I hope you'll find her satisfactory during my illness." "Signed, Nellie Goode."" "This is very nice, if you can call mourning nice but isn't there some way we could let it plunge a little in front?" "I suppose not." ""Signed, Nellie Goode."" "If we could only work in a little color somewhere." "Oh, well." ""Signed, Nellie Goode."" "Take off your hat, dear." "There are simply millions of things to do, I'm afraid." "You won't mind if I depend on you a great deal?" "Thank you, darling." "Now, get me out of these weeds." "I'm beginning to feel sad, and I shouldn't." "It's so depressing." "See who that is." "What's your name?" "Doris Tinsdale, madam." "Yes?" "What is it, Groves?" "Divisional Detective Inspector Byard and Detective Inspector Smith to see you, madam." "Good heavens." "Hear that, Freddie?" "The police again." " Show them up, Groves." " Very good, madam." "I thought I told you to wait downstairs." "Hand me a negligee from that cupboard over there, will you, Phyllis?" "Now, what about this dress for the theatrical garden party, Miss Inwood?" "Black?" "Oh, yes, of course." "How clever of you to remember, darling." "Hold that for me, will you?" " Freddie." " Yes?" "We haven't decided." "Am I going to the theatrical garden party?" "I don't feel an atom like it." "I keep thinking about those dreadful cancellations." "I don't see why." "They're a compliment to you." "Hand me a comb and mirror from over there, will you?" "But they do cut down the takings." "I think I could appear tonight, if you insisted." "Wouldn't it be a terrible strain for you?" "Oh, ghastly." "But I can't help feel for my poor, dear, loyal public." "Looking towards it for weeks and then trailing back sadly with their tickets getting their money returned." "I simply can't bear it." "It would be pretty trying." "Waves of sympathy coming on the stage all the gangways flooded with tears." "I can hardly bear the thought myself." "No use trying to stop me." "I'm going on tonight." "Be at the theater at 6:00 sharp, will you?" " Yes, madam." " Take this away." "You go right ahead, dear." "Garden party dress and everything." "And why don't we let ourselves go a trifle just in front, huh?" "And thank you so very much." "What do you suppose the police wants now?" "I don't know." "Must you speak to me with your mouth full?" "They've probably come to look under your bed for Master Cooper." "What could I tell them about Cooper?" "I know nothing about him." "Tell them just that." "Listen." "That's a good idea." "Elsie, darling, come here." "Now, I want you to wait in the other room and listen." "When you hear me cough, you come in and say, "The doctor's here."" "Yes, madam." "You can stand just so much of detectives." "After all, they are only policemen with smaller feet." " In here?" " The next door, sir." "What's the matter with Nellie?" "Oh, it's her stomach, sir, if you'll excuse the expression." "The tragedy and excitement was too much for her." " Highly strung type, eh?" " Oh, very, sir." "I suppose you know, Miss Inwood, that whatever Cooper's motive was it certainly couldn't have been robbery." "Of course, darling." "I understand that." "I suppose he just tried to make it look like robbery." "What's your name again?" " Doris, sir." " You know, Doris, you're not bad-looking." " Thank you, sir." " You don't treat your face properly." "If you fixed your hair and used makeup, you'd be quite attractive." "I suppose I shouldn't have seen him as often as I did." "But I didn't realize how madly infatuated he was with me." "I just didn't realize." "You'll never know how much I blame myself for all this." "When my husband came back from New York last week and I told Jonnie I couldn't see him he kept on phoning me." "He wouldn't let me alone." "Oh, maybe if I had agreed to see him he wouldn't have done this dreadful thing." " When did you last see Jonathan Cooper?" " Let me think." "It must have been a week..." "A week before my husband died." " Go on." "What are you waiting for?" " Did he come to this house?" "Excuse me, madam." "The doctor's waiting to see you." "Oh, I'm so sorry, darling, but I will have to see my doctor." "I'm feeling wretched." "I've been trying to get him all morning." "You see, I'm going on tonight." "The producer has insisted so much." "And I don't want to see him ruined because of me." "That's all right." "I think we've covered most of the points." "If there's any more I can help you with, you will let me know?" "Thank you." "We'll try not to trouble you again." "Thank you." "You're so understanding." "And so are you." "Doris, show the gentlemen out." "It's all right, thank you." "We can find our own way downstairs." "Freddie." "Mavis, go to the kitchen and get yourself some tea." " I'll ring when I need you." " Yes." "Thank you, madam." " Darling, where is Jonathan?" " Friends may be hiding him." "He had no friends, only me." "I hope he hasn't made any and hasn't taken them into his confidence." "For your sake, his sake and their sake." " What do you mean?" " Lf the truth comes out, it would break you." " I can't have that." " What could you do?" "You know me." "You know how it is with me." " You make me afraid." " Not I. You don't know what fear is." "Oh, that would be most lovely." "Of course, you must be fond of swimming." "But I am, yes I am, very fond of it." "I go out to the country to find somewhere to swim." "You don't live in the country?" "Oh, dear." "Of course, we miss the rain so much, don't we?" "All the flowers." "It's so disappointing." "I really must apologize for Eve, Mr...?" " Was the name Smith?" " Smith, yes." "Smith." "The name seems familiar, somehow." "I can't understand why that girl is so late." "I mean, she's usually so punctual." "She takes that from me." "Her father isn't punctual." "He catches trains and things, but always at the last moment." "I'm there at least an hour before." "Yes." "I'm sure you are." "I have heard a lot about you, Mrs. Gill." "Oh, have you?" "Is Eve very fond of me?" "Have you known her long, Mr. Smith?" "I've got the name right now, haven't I?" "I've known her for about a day and a half." "That's not very long." "Where did you meet?" "As a matter of fact, we met in the saloon bar of a pub." "Well." "How interesting." "Thank you." " Am I intruding?" " This is Mr. Smith." "Mr. Smith, this is Eve's father." "We see him now and again." " How do you do, sir?" " Very well, indeed." "Thank you." " Do sit down." " Thank you." " Where's Eve?" " She should be here by this time." "She asked Mr. Smith to tea." "Oh, good, good." "Anyone else coming?" "I mean, going to be a party?" "I am fond of parties." "No." "There's no one else coming, and you weren't invited." "Wasn't I?" "Oh, an oversight." "But I forgive you." "Forgiveness, Mr. Smith." "The secret of a happy married life." "That and good long stretches of the absence that makes the heart grow fonder." "There you are, my dear." "The last but four of the Mahicans." " Will you forgive me, Mr. Ordinary Smith?" " Yes." "I've just been set an example." "Yes, but he says his name is just plain Smith." "He did?" "I'm terribly sorry to be late but the rehearsal went on and the awful part is, I have to go back." " It was decent of you to have come." " What are you doing here?" " I've been trying to reach you all day." " I took the boat out." "We had quite a little cruise." "Jonnie and me." "Poor old Jonnie." "I hope his rheumatism is better." "Do play something, Mr. Smith." "Mr. Smith is a pianist, Mother." "Well, I think that's a delightful career." " I often wish I'd kept up my practicing." " It's not exactly my career, Mrs. Gill." "But you must play for us." "Make him, Mother." "But I haven't even started my tea yet." "But of course he hasn't." "Eve, you are ridiculous." "But I've got to leave in a minute." "Please play." "You know, Jonnie's not much of a sailor, Eve." "He was abominably seasick." "In fact, as soon as we got ashore, Jonnie ran away." " Who's Jonnie?" " I wish I knew." "He's about 57 different varieties." "Roughly speaking, he was a dog of some sort that strayed in a couple of nights ago." " Do the police know about him?" " No, no." "I'm not worried about him." "I daresay he'll find his way back to his old master." "Or mistress." "I thought we might have to ask for your help, Mr. Smith." "Mr. Smith is a detective, Mother." "Mrs. Mason." "A detective." "How very unusual." "I suppose you have many fascinating cases." " Must be very exciting." " Not very, I'm afraid." " Embezzlement, fraud, petty thefts." " Smuggling?" "Yes." "Occasionally." "Brandy mostly." "Murder, too, sometimes, Father." "Mr. Smith is working on the Inwood case." "Oh, you don't say so." "Yes, I read about that somewhere." "How did you know?" "I saw your photograph in the paper." "What is the fellow's name, Clippen." "Cooper, Cooper." "Did he do it, do you think?" "He has run away and remained in hiding." "We're inclined to accept the obvious as being obvious." "Oh, it's just like Sherlock Holmes and his fiddle." "A stream of beautiful sound, and then suddenly out pops the solution." " Oh, I must run." " So must I." " I don't know what you'll think of me." " I like people bound up in their work." " You'll make a very good actress indeed." " Au revoir, my pet." "Meet me at the stage door..." " Can't I drive you back to the Academy?" " No." "I want you to get to know Father." "Not professionally, but he's a wonderful character." " They'd be hurt if you didn't stay." " When will I see you again?" " Well, I really don't..." " Ring me tomorrow first thing." "Regent 1113." "I know you think I'm an idiot, but I'm not." "I'm doing darn well." "Yes." "You're giving a very good show." "A very good show." " Pity you've no audience." " But you're my audience." "I wish you'd give me a little applause now and then." " I wonder when Jonathan will turn up." " Turn up where?" "Wherever Miss Charlotte Inwood happens to be." "Good heavens, she'll only turn him over." "Yes, and to your nice new friend, Mr. Smith." "Who was that man?" "Oh, that was my dad, madam." "I told him about my temporary job, and he doesn't like it." "What with the murder and all." "You know, madam." "What's it got to do with him?" "Or with you?" "My dad says that man on the run might turn up here." "Might even get into the dressing room." "Might even murder me, madam." "It's the scene of the crime the murderer returns to, not the theater." "He might be right, my dad." "I'm surprised you're not a bit afraid yourself." "Slippers." "This theater's the last place he'd want to be seen in." "Now, stop acting like a silly schoolgirl." "The only murderer here is the orchestra leader." "Father, you've got to keep on the lookout and head Jonathan off." "Right." "Certainly, my dear." "This is desperate." "Go on, go on, go on." "Madam, madam." " What?" " Madam, there's a man." " He's gone up to your dressing room." " What are you talking about?" "What man?" "I saw him." "Don't go up there." "It's dangerous." "You're an imbecile." "You needn't come up." "I'll manage to change myself." "I know, Jonnie, darling, but what a terrible risk you've taken." " I couldn't keep away." " You haven't told me where you've been." "Some friends looked after me." " What friends?" " Never mind that just now." "We've got to work out a plan of campaign." " Everything is going on beautifully." " We've got to get a story and we'll both have to stick to it." " I must change." "You shouldn't have come here, Jonnie." "You have been so wonderful up to now." "Don't think that I'm ungrateful." "I'm not." "Truly, I'm not." " I don't know how I shall ever repay you." " Repay me?" "You talk as though this were a favor." "Something that a "thank you" can take care of." "Dearest, you mustn't be foolish." "You must go away at once." "Back to where you were hiding." "Freddie's going to get you out of the country soon." "And I'll come to see you, when the run of the show's over." "Why, that may be months, maybe a year, or more." "Well, you know how it is." "We were playing to capacity before this happened." "Now they're hanging on to the chandeliers." "Fifty pounds up tonight." "Goodness knows how they squeeze them in." "Yes." "I could only get standing room." "Well, there you are." "We'll find a lovely place, South America or somewhere." "And I'll come out to you, as soon as all of this has blown over." "I'll be glad of the rest for a week or two." "Palm trees sunshine." "Lovely." "A week or two?" "Well, you don't want me to give up everything, do you?" "Why not?" "I have." "Now, Jonnie, I thought you said that my happiness was all that mattered and you must admit that you behaved as if it was." "Taking all the trouble to protect my reputation covering up the accident destroying that dreadful dress with the bloodstain on it." "I didn't destroy it." "You didn't?" "Jonnie, you promised." "Don't you realize if they find the dress..." "So long as I have that dress, I'm the one who decides how long this show will run." "And everything else." "Do you understand?" "Where the devil is Miss Inwood?" "The orchestra's started her number." "My socks and suspenders, where is she?" "Take this." "I'll change downstairs." "Sorry, darling." "A hook broke." "Just a minute, Charlie." "Jonathan Cooper's in the theater." "The sergeant's seen him." "He was sure to make for your room." " Have you seen him?" " Of course not." "What a stupid idea." "I think I better take a look at your dressing room." "Doris, show Sergeant Loomis where to go." " Freddie, there's something..." " Miss Inwood, please." "Doris, what are you waiting for?" "Oh, Mr. Loomis, I feel so queer." "It's my heart." "The doctor told me I should take the stairs easy." "You don't think he'll try to shoot his way out, do you?" "He might be desperate, sergeant." "Don't you think you ought to go back and get a policeman?" "She was glad he got away, Father." " How do you know?" " By a look she gave Freddie Williams." ""Look she gave"?" "That won't get you far." "She'd be more delighted if she knew there was no stained dress." "Oh, yes." " I wish we still had that dress." " There's so very little time." "We've got to make every minute count." "I have to phone Smith tomorrow." "Why don't I invite him to the theatrical garden party with me?" "I have to sell programs there." " I don't quite follow you, my dear Holmes." " In order to make him see." "Nobody suspects our Charlotte yet, and they've got to." "First, you'd see my mother and father and get approved by them." "Most parents nowadays don't seem to care what sort of people their children go around with, but I'm not like that." "I know I'm very old-fashioned, but I've got to think of Eve." "What do you do for a living?" "I write a bit." "What, novels and things?" "I'm very fond of novels." "You know, I read a delightful one the other day." "Let me see." "What was the title?" "It was written by that woman." "I can't remember, but she's written a number of books." "You must have read some of them." "They're all about charming people." "She only writes about the nice side of life." "Now, this book I was telling you about the title has just slipped my memory for the moment." "Well, it's about a mother, which is a nice idea, I think, don't you?" "One reads so much about the younger generation." "It does seem a brilliant idea to have a change." "Now, this mother isn't old..." "I'm sorry to turn up so late, but I'm stranded for the night." "All the hotels are full." "My flat's uninhabitable." "I told you, it's in the hands of the decorators." "I know it's a frightful imposition but I wondered if you could give me a shakedown somewhere?" "Well, of course we can." "Can't we, Mother?" "Well, it's a little awkward." "Is your father proposing to stay here too?" "Well, Jonathan could have my room, and I could sleep on the settee." "Where shall we put your father?" "No." "I'll sleep on the settee, and you can sleep with your mama." " I hate to put you to all this trouble." " Not at all, Mr...?" "What is your name?" " Jones." " Brown." "Robinson." "Now, Mr. Robinson, I think we'll make it bye-byes." "A blanket for the commodore, and we'll all go to bye-byes." "Robinson." "I've heard that name before." "No, it won't do." "Has Eve gone mad, turning the house into a hotel in the night?" "Who is this man, anyway?" "What is his name?" "Well, perhaps you better not mention it." "The fact is that he's a fugitive from justice." "The whole police force is on his heels, and Eve..." "Well, for reasons of her own, my dear, doesn't want him to be caught." "He's..." "He's wanted for murder." "Now you're going too far." "I suppose you think I believed that that Mr. Smith, who came here to tea was a real detective." "If I hadn't heard her maid's voice outside the dressing room, they'd have got me." "Eve, darling, I know I should never have trusted her." "Darling, you've been wonderful to me." "I don't deserve it, but I need you." "I need you more than ever." "Tonight, when I found what Charlotte was all of a sudden, I thought my brain would burst." "After all that I'd done for her." "Everything I did for her was because I loved her and she loved me." " I'm so sorry." " Why the umbrella?" "It is a garden party, isn't it?" "Oh, Roehampton Club, please." "It couldn't be helped, I'm afraid." "You must blame a Miss Doris Tinsdale." "Who is Doris Tinsdale?" "She's Charlotte Inwood's temporary dresser." "We've been searching for her all afternoon." "One of our men at the theater let her slip through his fingers without making a statement." "You look very lovely." "You're very sweet to say so." "What has this Doris Tinsdale person got to do with the case?" "Or shouldn't I ask, Mr. Smith?" "Well, Cooper was at the theater last night, and we think she saw him." "And don't call me Mr. Smith." "After all, my name is..." "Wilfred." "Not very good, is it?" "It suits some people very nicely." "I rather liked it when you called me "Ordinary Smith."" " Oh, I didn't mean to, really." " But I liked it." "I liked it very much." "Please go on calling me that, will you?" "Yes, I will." "What were we talking about?" "Oh, yes." "I was going to ask you, why did Cooper risk going to the theater?" "He must have had a very strong reason for wanting to talk to Miss Inwood." " Let's not talk shop on a day like this." " Oh, I am sorry." "Do you hate inquisitive people?" "Of course not." "I'm one myself." "But seriously, Ordinary, do you think there's anything between Cooper and Miss Inwood?" "Seriously, "Extraordinary," I shouldn't be a bit surprised." "What a curious person she must be." "I mean, going back on the stage so soon after everything." "The show must go on." "A smiling face, a breaking heart." "Actors rather like it, I'm told." "But today going right from the funeral to the garden party." "I must say, I think that's overdoing things a bit." "A strong sense of the dramatics and all that sort of thing." "It's so cold and calculating of her." "Is it?" "Yes, it is." "If she's that cold and calculating, I was wondering maybe she had something to do with her husband's death." "Were you?" "After all there must be a lot that doesn't appear on the surface." "I mean, like wheels within wheels." "Who...?" "Who knows what goes on in a woman's mind?" "I don't know." "And if I don't know, I..." "Well who?" "A woman's mind sometimes..." "I was saying that a woman's mind..." "That's right." "Do you really?" "I think so too." "In Miss Inwood's case?" "What?" "What?" "I have to report to the committee tent to get my programs." " Whether to give it to the orphans or to let the government take it." "I'm putting it to you!" "There's the committee tent over there." "You do understand I won't be able to spend the whole afternoon with you?" "Can't I go with you?" "I can sell a mean program." "We bloodhounds have methods." "But you must go and amuse yourself." "I can't take you with me." "Every time I begin to think I know what color your eyes are, you disappear." "But it's against the rules." "Now please go." "I'll pick you up later." "I'll get in trouble." "Right here." "Step right up." "Yes, madam." "Over here..." "Eve, you brute." "Wherever have you been?" "You're hours late." " I'm sorry, Chubby." " What a day." "What a day." " Hello, Valerie." " Hello, Eve." "Oh, this is Wilfred Smith." "Chubby Bannister and Valerie Maynard." "They're at RADA with me." " Well, how do you do, Mr. Smith?" " How do you do?" "I'm sure you'd love some ice cream." "Chubby could show you where it is." " Oh, but I'd adore to." " That's most good of you." "I hope you'll remember me by this little token of my regard and esteem." "Allow me." "As you know, this fete is being held for the aid of the Actors' Orphanage." "Now, it's raining outside, and if you've got half a pound to spare, come in..." "Which programs shall I take?" " Take that pile, dear." " Thank you." "You newspaperwomen work hard at your job, don't you, Miss Gill?" "How did you know my name?" "Called that number you gave me for emergency." "A Mrs. Gill answered, and I put two and two together." " What did you need me for in such a hurry?" " Don't talk to me like that." "I've come down here to tell you Miss Inwood's looking for you." " What does she want?" " She wants your head, of course." "What's more, she said the police want to talk to a Miss Doris Tinsdale." "She wants to know when I'm going back to my work." "I told her my stomach was still out of order." "Well, it's better now." " Much better, thank you." " You want more money, don't you?" "Well, look at the risk I'm running." "I'd better go to Miss Inwood and tell her everything." "And before that detective finds out there's no such person as Doris." "Here's 5 pounds." "It's all I have with me." "Oh, my job's worth more than that, at least another 20." "I'll meet you outside Miss Inwood's tent in half an hour." "Finished already?" "You are doing well." " May I use your phone?" " Why, yes, of course, my dear." "There it is." "Thank you." "Hello." "Is that you, Father?" "Could you come right away?" "With all the money you can lay your hands on." "At least 20 pounds." "At least!" "It's Nellie." "The girl I'm understudying." "Yes." "Be quick, darling." "No queuing." "No queuing here." "Step right up." "Yes, madam, over here..." "Doris, isn't it?" "Yes, sir." "Yes, sir." "I took your advice, sir." "I done myself up." "I mean, what do you think of it?" " Where have you been?" " Oh, I can explain it, sir." " Only yesterday..." " Come along." "I'll take you to Miss Inwood." "Come on, hurry." "Roll up, roll up, roll up." "Come and have a good time." "Come on, sir." "You, sir..." "Miss Tinsdale to see you." "Well, this is a pleasure." "Where have you been?" "I thought you were dead." "Oh, no, madam." "I wasn't." "As a matter of fact..." "You needn't go into detail." "I hope you're not turning into one of those explicit people who always tell you exactly how they feel when you ask them." "You did leave me a trifle suspended, however." "I'm sorry, madam." "I was held up." "Darling!" "Whatever happened to that peculiar figure of yours?" "It's a new dress, madam." "Keep it, dear." "What it does for you is worth thousands." "I bought it at a sale." "Don't confide in me." "Just pour some tea, would you?" "By the way, Doris did Nellie tell you the police want to talk to you?" "But whatever for, madam?" "Oh, I hope they won't upset my dad." " My dad said..." " They're not going to eat you, darling." "It's not important." "Just pull yourself together and pour the tea." "Rehearsals from morning till night." "If we wanted to misbehave we couldn't find a minute to do it in." " No." "Yes, so I understand." "Eve tells me she kept hard at it all day and evening." "But Eve hasn't been near for days." "I thought she was home with a cold or something." " Maybe she's got a job in a show." " Gosh." "A fortune in five minutes, and there's no income tax on it tonight." "Excuse me, madam." "I've..." "I've got to sneeze." " Miss Livingston, I presume." " That's not my name." "Oh, no, no." "It's Nellie Goode, isn't it?" "But what does the name matter?" "After all, I could think of lots of much more appropriate names for you." "Yes, I could think of a few for you too." "Who are you?" "I understand my daughter has entered into a somewhat shady transaction." " I don't know what you're talking about." " Well, you are a blackmailer, aren't you?" "You know, that's a very, very naughty thing to be." "Don't say things like that to me." "You could be had up for a thing like that." "Now, don't be so peppery." " I like to keep things on a friendly basis." " One short." "It's all I've got." "You don't want me to walk home..." "I don't care if you crawl home." "Oh, well, it doesn't matter." "I'm not mean." "And you've got till tomorrow morning." "Father, Freddie Williams, Charlotte's manager, spotted me as Doris." "I had to go into Charlotte's tent." "If there's one thing I hate, it's saying I told you so." "And the police want to talk to Doris." "I don't know which way to turn." "I think I'll get Smith and tell him the whole story." "Have you got him to suspect Charlotte yet?" "I'm afraid not." "But I thought you had to pick him up at Whitehall." "Didn't you talk to him about it?" "But, yes, I did in a way." "In a way?" "Oh, I see." "Some more important topic arose in the conversation." "Only there's one slight complication, my dear:" "Jonathan." "You're not, by any chance, thinking of changing horses in midstream?" "Father, is it awful of me?" "Not awful, my dear, just rather a bad bit of timing." "No matter how my feelings toward him change I still can't let Jonathan down, can I?" "Not while he's hiding in our house." "Call yourself an actress?" "There's your big scene, if you have the pluck to take it." "You have the law on your arm." "All you have to do is rush in there and shout, "Stop!" "That woman is a murderess!"" "And then she'll say, "How dare you?" And you'll say, "I'll dare and dare again." "What about the bloodstained dress, eh, Miss Charlotte Inwood?"" " And then she'll say..." " Please." "This is serious, Father." " Oh, Eve!" "There you are." " I couldn't find you anywhere." " I've been trying to get rid of my programs." " I've been too busy talking to sell mine." "Do you think I talk too much?" "No." "Most women don't talk enough." " I hate shy women." " No one could ever call me shy..." "Who'll come over to shoot some lovely ducks?" "It will only cost you half a crown, and it does such good for the orphans." "Who'll come and shoot lovely ducks here for half a crown?" "Only half a crown to shoot lovely ducks!" "Eve." "Excuse me." "Look, Eve, hold everything." "I have an idea." "Get Smith into Charlotte's tent, as near the front as you can." "Go on, quickly." " What do you say we hear Charlotte sing?" " Oh, do let's." "The murder makes her so interesting." " You know, I think I'll wait outside." " But you promised." " I promised?" " In the taxi." "You said the first thing we'd do would be to go hear Charlotte Inwood." "Don't you remember?" "Do you know?" "I can't remember." "I must have had some sort of a blackout." " Oh, do let's hurry." "We'll miss her." " I think she's just dreamy." "Only half a crown to shoot a lovely duck!" "You can win a lovely prize!" "Heavenly prizes!" "Only half a crown to shoot..." "Would you like to shoot?" "No, no." "I hate firearms." "I wonder if I could buy one of those dolls." " A doll?" " Yes, please." " Which doll?" " Oh, any doll." "That doll." " I suppose, but you'll have to pay for it." " I know, but how much, please?" " Well, it's for the orphans." " Yes, I know, but how much?" " You are sorry for the orphans, aren't you?" " Of course I am, but how much?" "We all are, aren't we?" "Well, I suppose at least four pounds." " Give me the gun." " Well, half a crown, then." " Yes." " You know." "Money first." " Now, shall I put it in for you?" " Yes, please." "It breaks somewhere here." "I can't..." "It's rather..." "Perhaps I can manage." "Wait a minute." "I think you'll have to do it yourself." "I'm not frightfully good." "Be rather careful, won't you?" "You know, it goes off." "Got you again, my beauty." "My bird, I think, sir." "Could I have the doll, please?" "What did you say?" "Good shot, sir." "Well done." "I'll get you your doll." "Here you are, sir." "Now, then, who's going to shoot lovely ducks?" "Would you like to shoot lovely ducks?" " Yes." "Half a crown's worth." " You sure that's enough?" "Oh, yes, certainly." "Yes, I don't need any more." "I very seldom miss." "Oh, got it at last." "Could I have the doll, please?" "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid that's mine." "What did you say?" "Nothing at all." " Could I have the doll, please?" " Well done." "I'll go and get it for you." "It is rather nice, I think, to have won it, don't you?" "You did earn it that time." "They're lovely dolls." "They're fully dressed." "Fully." "Thank you very much." "Now, who's going to come and shoot lovely duck over here for only half a crown?" "We're having such fun over here shooting duck for only half a crown!" "Eve." "Eve." "I'm sorry." "Ladies and gentlemen." "Doris." "Doris!" "Miss Tinsdale!" "Come and give a hand here." "What are you waiting for?" "I'm sorry, sir." "Do you think there's anything between Cooper and Miss Inwood?" "But Eve hasn't been near for days." "Doris!" "Miss Tinsdale!" "We got away as quickly as possible, and here we are." "And that's the story of the short and stormy life of Doris Tinsdale." "It is in many respects a sad one, but, one hopes not entirely without usefulness." "The next thing is to wait for the arrival of Mr. Ordinary Smith with his posse to arrest the whole boiling lot of us." "Well, you think I should give myself up, is that it?" "Yes, I should, shouldn't I?" "The longer I stay here, the worse it will be for you." "But I won't give up." "There must be a way to get at Charlotte." "Now, I've made a nice hot toddy for you, Mr. Robinson." "There's nothing like it for a cold, is there?" "Thank you." "Isn't it dreadful?" "Mr. Robinson hasn't been able to stir out of his room since he arrived." "These spring colds are really frightful." "Oh, by the way, Eve, Mr. Smith is downstairs and wants to see you." "I think it would be such a good idea if I made Mr. Robinson a nice, hot mustard plaster." "I wonder if he's got a temperature." "I've broken my thermometer, but you could easily run to the chemist's..." "How long have you been Miss Inwood's maid?" "As I think you know, we've been anxious to ask Doris Tinsdale a few questions." " I can explain..." " Did you talk to Jonathan Cooper last night?" " No." " Did you see him?" " Yes." " Where?" "On his way to Miss Inwood's dressing room." "He was there when she went up to change." "I listened at the door and overheard him say something about a bloodstained dress belonging to her." "And then suddenly, she became afraid." "Do you hear?" "Afraid." "When you took Sergeant Loomis up to the room you presumed Cooper to be still there?" "Well, I didn't know." "No, you didn't know, but you had a pretty fair idea." "Why didn't you tell Loomis?" "Then you did a very neat fainting fit, which probably allowed Cooper to get clear away." "Don't talk like that." "I can't bear it." "I don't understand it." " How could you behave like that?" " But I can explain." "I don't think that's necessary." "In my job, I find a woman goes to almost any length to protect her lover." "But it's not like that." "It's not like that at all." "I thought I was in love with Jonathan but I'm not anymore." "But it doesn't mean I won't go on helping him, as I would any innocent man." "It's not for you to decide whether he's innocent or not." "You leave that to the law." "The point is, you put yourself and your father in a very serious position by this infernal amateur meddling." "How I'm going to get you out of it, I don't know." "But you do want to get us out?" "In spite of the fact you made such a fool of me, you mean." "Your acting in the taxi was extremely clever." "I wasn't acting in the taxi." "I fell in love with someone, and all my plans went out the window." "When we were in the taxi together, I felt as though I were on a great golden cloud." "I told Father I didn't want to go on with this." "I wanted to tell you everything." "But he had an idea about a bloodstained doll, and I had to put it off." "I wanted to tell you all about it." "Please believe me." "Would you like to mix a cocktail yourself, Mr. Smith?" "I'm afraid there's no ice, but I'm sure you can manage." " Good evening, Smith." " Good evening." " Do I hear the muted clanking of chains?" " It's only the plumbing." "It's in a dreadful state." "How did you enjoy the garden party, Mr. Smith?" "It must have been awful in that rain." "I think I'll take some sherry up to Mr. Robinson." "I've quite changed my mind about him." "He seems such a nice young man after all." "Eve, dear, you will look after Mr. Smith, won't you?" "Father, I've been explaining to Mr. Smith what we're trying to do." "He thinks we ought to stop." "Oh, what a pity." "Just when you and I were about to save Mr. Smith so much trouble." "Save me trouble?" "Sir, you don't look like an irresponsible imbecile." "Why behave like one?" "You let your daughter get mixed up in this?" "What sort of father do you think you are?" "Unique." "Quite unique." "But rather broken-hearted at this moment." "You see, I have another idea." "A pity to waste ideas, isn't it?" "Have you...?" "Have you ever been blackmailed, Mr. Smith?" "Well, I have." "Only this afternoon." "At least my daughter and I were, by Nellie Goode." "Yes, most inappropriate name." "I told her so." "She touched us for 24 pounds, and do you know why I think it was well-spent?" " Though we could ill afford it." " Come to the point, please." "Well, it struck me that what Nellie could do, Doris could do." "I mean suppose she went to Miss Inwood and said:" ""Look, Miss Inwood, I've got a certain dress of yours." "It's ruined, but it's still worth money."" "And suppose Miss Inwood said, "All right, I'll give you 100 pounds for it."" "What then, eh?" "And suppose you happened to be listening." "Well, that's what police do in blackmail cases, isn't it?" "What about it, eh?" "What about it?" "Oh, you needn't be afraid that Doris couldn't do it." "She could do it, Doris could." "I mean, Eve could." "She's a very good actress, a very good actress indeed." "I'm sure she is." "By the way, is there a bloodstained dress?" "Well, no." "No, not exactly." "Look, there was a bloodstained dress, only..." " Couldn't we tell you...?" " I'm getting back to the office." "I'll let you know about this later." "In the meantime, what's Miss Inwood doing without a dresser?" "You better run along to the theater before she starts getting impatient." "It's all right." " What do you mean, "It's all right"?" " He's trying to save face." "Not a bad face, either." "He'll let us do it." "What's the matter with you?" "Aren't you pleased?" "Come on." "We better hurry." "Come to Burton Street and bring two men." "Post them at either end of the street." "I'll be waiting at the telephone booth at the corner." "All right?" "Hello." "Is that Mrs. Gill?" "Is the commodore available?" "Oh, he's gone out." "Is Miss Eve there?" "Oh, she's out too." "No, one moment." "May I speak to Mr. Robinson, please?" " What's your idea, governor?" " Just a little experiment." " Plug it in." " Okay." "The mike's in position." "I'm speaking about three foot from it." "Can you hear me?" " Tell him the sound's all right." " Okay." "Do you think it'll work?" "What a day, darling." "I've never in my whole life been so glad to see the end of it." " Yes, madam." " You must be tired too." "It can't be easy to be a dresser with no experience." "But you're quite good." "Very good, indeed." "Oh, that rain." "That rain at the garden party." "Thank goodness it didn't rain at the funeral." "That would have been too much." "I hate rainy funerals." "And then somebody sent up that disgusting doll." "What vermin some vermin are." "Yes, madam." "By the way, did the police find you?" "I haven't seen them yet, madam." "And anyway, I've got nothing to tell them." "Well, I suppose that's all." "And that horrible Nellie will be back tomorrow." "We may never see each other again." "Ships that pass in the something or other." "I like you." "You're so very sweet and patient." "I don't suppose I'm easy to get on with." "Oh, but you are, madam." "It's been wonderful working with you." "And I do love the theater so." "I don't see why." "It's an awful life, really." "Here, darling." "A little something extra for you." "I couldn't, madam." "Honestly." "Don't be an idiot." "Put it in the bank or go out and get drunk or something." " Thank you, madam." " Can I give you a lift?" " Lf you would drop me, I'd appreciate it." " All right." "Come along, then." " Good night." " Good night." " Good night." " Good night." " Miss Inwood, could I talk to you in private?" " We can talk in the car." "That's private." "No, that won't do." "I've got to talk to you now." "What's all this about?" "Let's go someplace where nobody can hear us." "Good night." " Have you gone mad or something?" " No, madam." "I want to tell you about the bloodstained doll." "Well, what about that doll?" "Oh, I hate all this, madam." "I'm that nervous." "I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing." "You see, I have a dress that belongs to you with a big bloodstain down the front." "By rights, I know I should go to the police but, to tell you the truth, madam, I'm afraid." "My dad would murder me if I got my name in the papers." "So, you see, I've come to you." "Maybe you could tell me what to do." "How much do you want?" "Money never entered my head, madam." "I hope you won't think that of me." "Only if the dress were clean like new, it might be worth, say, 75 or 100 pounds." "I know nothing about a bloodstained dress." "This sounds to me remarkably like blackmail." " I think I'd better call the police." " Yes." "Do call the police, Miss Inwood." "We'll talk to them together." " You're not the maid." " No, I'm not." "Why have you been pretending all this time?" "Shall we say we needed evidence?" "We?" "Are you from the police?" "How was the bloodstain smeared on the dress?" "Who are you?" "Why were you so frightened when Jonathan said he hadn't destroyed the dress?" " I don't know what you're talking about." " You do know!" "Yes." "Some blood did splash on my dress." "I was there when Jonathan killed my husband." " That's not true." " It is, but I had nothing to do with it." "Jonathan wanted my name kept out of it." "He sent me back to his rooms." "He stayed behind to make it look like robbery." " Then he brought me a clean dress." " You're lying." "It's a sacred truth." "I swear to you it is." "Listen, whoever you are I'll give you anything if you keep me out of this." "My jewelry is worth over 10,000 pounds." "You can have it all." "And my furs or money." "How much do you want?" "I'll give you anything." "Anything." "I'm going now to break it up." "Bring them in." "I want them together." "You deliberately tried to pin it all on Jonathan assisted by Mr. Freddie Williams." " It's not true, I tell you." "It's not!" "Well, you won't get away with it." "I warn you, that's all." "I've had a terrible scene with a lunatic girl." "First she pretended to be my dresser, then a detective and tried to blackmail me." "That's all right, Miss Inwood." "You stay here." "I'll have a word with you in a minute." "Oh, good." "They got him." "Jonathan, what have they done to you?" "Why are you arresting him?" "Mellish, stand by Miss Inwood there!" "Heavens, that must be Cooper." "Where's Miss Inwood?" "Cover the alleyway in case he used an emergency door." " Where do those stairs lead to?" " Dressing rooms." "Eve!" "Eve, come back!" "Where's the nearest telephone?" " Eve." " He came through an emergency door." "Hurry up downstairs." "Go on, hurry!" "Get back into the theater." "Have you been told to keep an eye on me?" "In a manner of speaking, yes." " In that case, may I sit down?" " No harm in that." "Get me a chair, then." "Surely, ma'am." "Surely." " Done with the mike?" " Yes." "Okay." "I wonder if they caught..." "What's the point of going up to the roof?" "He may have doubled back along the alley and gone up the fire escape." " So they've heard everything I said?" " Yes." " And it's all in that book?" " All in there, in shorthand." "How clever of you." "Things look bad for me, don't they?" "I'm what you'd call an accessory..." "I suppose." " George!" " Yes?" "Smith wants you down at the stage doorkeeper's office." "Thank you, darling." "We'll need more men to cover all the rooms in this place..." "It's not all in there." " What's your name?" " Mellish." " Do you like dogs, Mellish?" " Yes, ma'am, I do." "But not all dogs." "If they don't love you, you don't love them." " That's right, isn't it?" " I suppose so." "I had a dog once." "He hated me." "At last he bit me, and I had him shot." "When I give all my love and get back treachery and hatred, it's..." "It's as if my mother had struck me in the face." "Do you understand that, Mellish?" "I've heard it takes them that way sometimes." "Yes." "It takes some of them that way." " Has Miss Inwood gone yet?" " No, she's in the theater." " Don't you think he's well away now?" " I'm sure I saw him run down the alley." "This is Smith." "We're covering the theater from the roof to the storeroom." " Fine, sir." " You heard what Miss Inwood said." "You can't have anything against Cooper now." "Nothing, except murder." "He killed Charlotte's husband, all right." "He's killed before." "What?" "What do you mean?" "He got away with it last time with a plea of self-defense." "He won't this time." " But Eve." " She's alone with him now." "Can't you see, sir?" "She's in very great danger." "It all adds up to a confession, except she said you killed him." "Anyone in their right mind could see she was telling a lie." "But I don't understand why Smith arrested you." "What happened?" "Somebody phoned and said the police were on their way." "I made a bolt for it, and they grabbed me at the street door." "Funny, that." "Getting me out into the street." "I suppose Smith didn't want me to be caught in your house." "That would have been awkward for you, wouldn't it?" "I don't think they'll look for us here for a bit." "After a while, maybe we can make a dash through an emergency exit." "Eve." "Eve." "Eve, wherever you are, come away from him." "Come away from him." "He's dangerous." "He's a killer." "Eve?" "Eve?" "You're right, you know." "Charlotte was telling the truth." "What she didn't tell you was that she goaded me into doing it." "She set me against him in every way she could." "She made me think she was crazy about me, but she wasn't." "I was to kill her husband to leave the coast clear for that Freddie Williams." "I know that now." "She knew the sort of man I was." "She knows I can't control myself if I get into a rage." "Like a fool, I told her about that girl I'd killed." "Oh, Jonathan." "Jonathan, you don't know what you're saying." "I can't help it, Eve." "I can't control myself, even when I was a kid." "I was lucky that last time." "The little fool threatened me with a gun." "But you don't know what it's like to have a thing like this hanging over you." "Eve, I hated to tell you that phony story in your car that time but there was no other way." "Charlotte did go on to my flat after I'd killed her husband." "Her dress was stained a bit, so I brought her a clean one." "Then when she went to the theater I made a big stain on it to make you believe me." "I'm telling you the truth now." "Jonathan I feel desperately sorry for you." "Really, I do." "No, you don't." "You're not sorry at all." "You don't care what happens to me." "Jonathan you could give yourself up." "They'd take care of you." "You couldn't do all these things unless you..." "Unless..." "They can't do anything to a sick man, and that's what you are." "You must be." "No." "They're going to hang me." "They'll hang Charlotte, too, for planning it." "They've never forgiven me for getting away with it the first time." "There's nothing wrong with my mind." "Nobody can prove that there is, unless..." "Unless I do it a third time with no reason whatever." "That would be a clear case of insanity." "Wouldn't it?" "Wouldn't it?" "Jonathan." "Jonathan, I don't hear a sound now." "I think we can go now." "We'll go out through the orchestra pit, and then I'll take you to my father's boat." "Come along." "Here he is!" "Look!" "In the orchestra pit!" "Mathews, quick!" "Down in the orchestra!" " They've got him!" " Where?" " They found him." " Where was he?" " He was in the theater after all." " Call Smith!" " He was at the stage doorkeeper's office." " Drop the iron curtain, cut him off!" "Get out!" "Move your head out of the way!" " Take the curtain up." " Don't touch anything." "Mellish, you'd better phone up the photographer." "Someone find out if Byard's here yet." "Tell him what's happened."