He told first of the events of the afternoon,
and then passed on to the evening.
"Mr. Vantine had dinner at home, sir," he said. "It was served, I
think, at seven o'clock. He must have finished a little after
seven-thirty. I didn't see him, for I was straightening things around
up in his room and putting his clothes away. But he told Rogers--"
"Never mind what he told Rogers," broke in Grady. "Just tell us what
you know."
"Very well, sir," said Parks, submissively. "I had a lot of work to
do--we just got back from Europe yesterday, you know--and I kept on,
putting things in their places and straightening around, and it must
have been half-past eight when I heard Rogers yelling for me. I
thought the house was on fire, and I come down in a hurry. Rogers was
standing out there in the hall, looking like he'd seen a ghost. He
kind of gasped and pointed to this room, and I looked in and saw Mr.
Vantine laying there--"
His voice choked at the words, but he managed to go on, after a
moment.
"Then I telephoned for Mr. Lester," he added, "and that's all I
know."
"Very well," said Grady. "That's all for the present. Send Rogers
in."
Rogers's face, as he entered the room, gave me a kind of shock, for
it was that of a man on the verge of hysteria.
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