Page:The Viaduct Murder (1926).pdf/77

"And the photograph—it might be an accident, of course, but I feel convinced that he put that in his luggage at the last moment."

"And that's frightfully important," said Reeves, "because it obviously means that on Monday, before anything happened to Brotherhood, Davenant was reckoning on leaving home for some little time; and not returning immediately to wherever it is he lives ordinarily, because he must keep collars and things there. But he also thought he might be away for some longish time, or he wouldn't have worried to take the photograph with him. What was the frame like?"

"Quite modern; no maker's name on it."

"I'm afraid that means the murder must have been a premeditated one," put in Marryatt. "I hope it's not uncharitable to say so, but I never did like Davenant. I don't think I'm ordinarily a person of very narrow religious views, and I've known Romans that were quite easy to get on with. But Davenant was a person of quite ungovernable temper, you must remember that."

"His ungovernable temper would be much more important," objected Gordon, "if the murder were not a premeditated one."

"But it's not only that," persisted Marryatt. "To me, there was always something sinister about him; he had fits of melancholy, and would rail at the people and the politicians he didn't like in a way that was almost frightening. Surely I'm not alone in that impression?"