Page:The Black Camel (IA blackcamel0000earl).djvu/83

“Here is some one about whom I have not heard before,” he said.

“Who in the world———” began Diana, staring at him.

“Do not be alarmed,” smiled Charlie. “I am Inspector Chan, of Honolulu police. You are in Hawaii now.”

“Oh, I see,” she answered.

“Your name, please?”

She gave it.

“You are guest in house, perhaps?”

“I am. Miss Fane was kind enough to take me in. You know, I’ve just come up from the South Seas with her—I acted in her last picture.”

“An actress,” nodded Chan. “I find myself dazzled by so much fame and beauty. All the same, I collect myself to inquire—what have you been engaged in doing this evening?”

“Why, I’ve been in swimming,” she told him.

“When did you last see Miss Fane?”

“When I went up-stairs to put on my bathing-suit—I don’t know what time that was. Mr. Bradshaw had just come, and Miss Julie and he and I went up to change. We left Miss Fane standing here in the hall. Some one was ringing the door-bell.”

“You came down and entered the water with these young people?”

“Oh, no—it took me a lot longer to change. It was eight o’clock when I was finally ready—I noticed the clock on my dressing-table just before I left my room. I’d no idea it was so late—so I hurried down———”

“You did not see Miss Fane?”