Ngaio Marsh - Death At The Bar

by Ngaio Marsh

  No one else went anigh t' glass." "And after the accident? Where was everybody then? " "Crowded round Mr. Watcliman. Will stepped out of corner. I come through under counter. Miss Darragh stood anigh us and Dessy by Will. Legge stood staring where he wurr. Reckon Mr. Parish did be closest still to glass, but he stepped forward when Mr. Watchman flopped down on settle. I be a bit mazed-like wurr they all stood. I disremember." "Naturally enough. Would you say anybody could have touched that glass between the moment when the dart struck and the time Miss Moore poured out the brandy? " "I don't reckon anybody could,"said Abel, but his voice slipped a half-tone and he looked profoundly uncomfortable.

  "Not even Mr. Parish." Abel stared over Alleyn's head and out of the window.

  His lower lip protruded and he looked as mulish as a sulky child.

  "Maybe he could,"said Abel. "but he didn't"

  CHAPTER TEN THE TUMBLER AND THE DART

  "we may as well let him have this room,"said Alleyn, when Abel had gone. "Harper's done everything possible in the way of routine." "He's a very thorough chap, is Nick Harper." "Yes,"agreed Alleyn. "Except in the matter of the rat-hole jar. However, Fox, we'll see if we can catch him out before we let the public in. Let's prowl a bit." They prowled for an hour. They kept the door locked and closed the bar shutters. Dim sounds of toping penetrated from the public taproom. Alleyn had brought Harper's photographs and they compared these with the many chalk marks Harper had left behind him. A chalk mark under the settle showed where the iodine bottle had rolled. The plot of the bottle of Scheele's Acid was marked in the top cupboard. The shelves of the corner cupboard were very dusty and the trace left by the bottle showed clearly. Alleyn turned to the fireplace.

  "He hasn't sifted the ashes, Br'er Fox. We may as well do that, I think." Fox fetched a small sieve from Alleyn's case. The ashes at first yielded nothing of interest, but in the last handful they found a small misshapen object which Alleyn dusted and took to the light.

  "Glass,"he said. "They must have had a good fire.

  It's melted and gone all bobbly. There's some more.

  Broken glass half melted by the fire." "They probably make the fire up on the old ashes," said Fox. "It may have lain there through two or three fires." "Yes, Fox. And then again it may not. I wonder U those fragments of the brandy glass were completeThis has been a thickish piece, I should say." "A bit of the bottom? " "We'll have to find out. You never know. Where was the broken glass? " The place where most of the broken glass had been found was marked on the floor.

  "0 careful Mr. Harper t "Alleyn sighed. "But it doesn't get us much farther, I'm afraid. Fox, I'm like to ? it in a muddle over this. You must keep me straight.

  ou know what an ass I can make of myself. No "; as Fox looked amiably sceptical. "No, I mean it. There are at least three likely pitfalls. I wish to heaven they hadn't knocked over that glass and trampled it to smithereens." "D'you think there was cyanide in the glass, Mr.

  Alleyn? " "God bless us. Fox, I don't know. I don't know, my dear old article. How can I? But it would help a lot if we could know one way or the other. Finding none on those tiny pieces isn't good enough." "At least,"said Fox, "we know there was cyanide on the dart. And knowing that, sir, and ruling out accident, I must say I agree with old Pomeroy. It looks like Legge." "But how the devil could Legge put prussic acid on the dart with eight people all watching him? He was standing under the light, too." "He felt the points,"said Fox without conviction.

  "Get along with you, Foxkins. Prussic acid is extremely volatile. Could Legge dip his fingers in the acid and then wait a couple of hours or so—with every hope of giving himself a poisoned hand? He'd have needed a bottle of the stuff about him." "He may have had one. He may be a bit of a conjurer.

  Legerdemain,"added Fox.

  •• Well—he may. We'll have to find out." Alleyn lit a cigarette and sat down "Let's worry it out,"he said. "May I talk? And when I go wrong. Fox, you stop me." "It's likely then,"said Fox, dryly, "to be a monologue.

  But go ahead, sir, if you please." Alleyn went ahead. His pleasant voice ran on and on and a kind of orderliness began to appear. The impossible, the possible, and the probable were sorted into groups, and from the kaleidoscopic jumble of evidence was formed a pattern.

  "Imperfect,"said Alleyn, "but at least suggestive." "Suggestive, all right,"Fox said. "And if it's correct the case, in a funny sort of way, still hinges on the dart." "Yes,"agreed Alleyn. "The bare bodkin. The feathered quarrel and all that. Well, Fox, we've wallowed in speculation and now we'd better get on with the job.

  I think I hear Pomeroy senior in the public bar so presumably Pomeroy junior is at liberty. Let's remove to the parlour." "Shall I get hold of young Pomeroy? " "In a minute. Ask him to bring us a couple of pints.

  You'd better not suggest that he joins us in a drink.

  He doesn't like us much, and I imagine he'd refuse, which would not be the best possible beginning." Alleyn wandered into the ingle-nook, knocked out his pipe on the hearthstone and then stooped down.

  "Look here. Fox." "What's that, sir? " "Look at this log-box." Fox bent himself at the waist and stared into a heavy wooden box in which Abel kept his pieces of driftwood and the newspaper used for kindling. Alleyn puUed out a piece of paper and took it to the Ugbt.

  "It's been wet,"observed Fox.

  "Very wet. Soaked. It was thrust down among the bits of wood. A little pool has lain in the pocket. Smell it." Fox sniffed vigorously. "Brandy? "he asked.

  "Don't know. Handle it carefully, Br'er Fox. Put it away in your room and then get Pomeroy junior." Alleyn returned to the parlour, turned on the red- shaded lamp and settled himself behind the table.

  Fox came in followed by Will Pomeroy. Will carried two pint pots of beer. He set them down on the table.

  "Thank you,"said Alleyn. "Can you spare us a moment? " "Yes." "Sit down, won't you? " Will hesitated awkwardly, and then chose the least comfortable chair and sat on the extreme edge. Fox took out his note-book and Will's eyes nickered. Alleyn laid three keys on the table.

  "We. may return these now, I think,"he said. "I'm sure you'll be glad to see the Plume of Feathers set right again." "Thanks,"said Will. He stretched out his hand and took the keys.

  "The point we'd like to talk about,"said Alleyn, "is the possibility of the dart that injured Mr. Watchman being tainted with the stuff used for rat poison--the acid kept in the corner cupboard of the private tap. Now, your father----" "I know what my father's been telling you,"interrupted Will, "and I don't hold with it. My father's got a damn' crazy notion in his head." "What notion is that? "asked Alleyn.

  Will looked sharply at him, using that trick of lowering his eyelashes. He did not answer.

  "Do you mean that your father's ideas about Mr.

  Robert Legge are crazy." "That's right. Father's got his knife into Bob Legge because of his views. There's no justice nor sense in what he says. I'll swear, Bible oath. Bob Legge never interfered with the dart. I'll swear it before any judge or jury in the country." "How can you be so positive? " "I was watching the man. I was in the corner between the dart-board and the bar. I was watching him." "All the time? From the moment the darts were unpacked until he tlirew them? " "Yes,"said Will doggedly. "All the time." "Why? " "Eh? " "Why did you watch him so closely? " "Because of what the man was going to do. We all watched him." "Suppose,"said Alleyn, "that for the sake of argument I told you we knew positively that Mr. Legge, while he held the darts in his left hand, put his right hand in his pocket for a moment——" "I'd say it was a lie. lie didn't. He never put his hand in his pocket." "What makes you so positive, Mr. Pomeroy? " "For one thing he was in his shirt sleeves." "What about h.is waistcoat and trousers pockets? " "He hadn't a waistcoat. His sleeves was rolled up and I was watching his hands. They never went near his trousers' pockets. He held the darts in his left hand and I was watching the way he felt the points, delicate like, with the first finger of his other hand. He was saying they was right-down good darts ; well made and well
balanced."Will leant forv/ard and scowled earnestly at Alleyn.

  "Look 'ee here, sir,"he said. "If Bob Legge meant any harm to they darts would he have talked about them so's we all looked at the damn' things? Would he, now? " "That's a very sound argument,"agreed Alleyn.

  "He would not." "Well, then 1 " "Right. Now the next thing he did was to throw all six darts, one after the other, into the board. He had six, hadn't he? " "Yes. There were six new 'uns in the packet. Usual game's only three, but he took all six for this trick." "Exactly. Now, what did he do after he'd thrown them? " "Said they carried beautiful. He'd thrown the lot round the centre very pretty. Mr. Watchman pulled 'em out and looked at 'em. Then Mr. Watchman spread out his left hand on the board and held out the darts with his right. ' Fire ahead,' he says, or something like that." Alleyn uttered a short exclamation and Will looked quickly at him.

  "That wasn't brought out at the inquest,"said Alleyn.

  "Beg pardon? What wasn't? " "That Mr. Watchman pulled out the darts and gave them to Mr. Legge." "I know that, sir. I only thought of it to-day. I'd have told Mr. Harper next time I saw him." "It's a little odd that you should not remember this until a fortnight after the event." "Is it then? "demanded Will. "I don't reckon it is.

  Us didn't think anything at the time. Ask any of the others. Ask my father. They'll remember all right when they think of it." "All right,"said Alleyn. "I suppose it's natural enough you should forget." "I know what it means,"said Will quickly. "I know that, right enough. Mr. Watchman handled those darts, moving them round in his hands like. How could Bob Legge know which was which after that? " "Not very easily, one would suppose. What next? " "Bob took the darts and stepped back. Then he began to blaze away with 'em. He never so much as glanced at 'em. I know that. He played 'em out quick." "Until the fourth one stuck into the finger? ' "Yes."said Will doggedly, "till then." Alleyn was silent. Fox, note-book in hand, moved over to the window and stood looking over the roofs of Ottercombe to the sea.

  "I'll tell you what it is,"said Will suddenly.

  "Yes? "asked Alleyn.

  "I reckon the poison on those darts's a blind." He made this announcement with an air of defiance, and seemed to expect it would bring some sort of protest from the other two. But Alleyn took it very blandly.

  "Yes,"he said, "that's possible, of course." "See what I mean?"said Will eagerly. "The murderer had worked it out he'd poison Mr. Watchman.

  He'd worked it out he'd put the stuff in his drink, first time he got a chance. Then when Bob Legge pricks him by accident, the murderer says to himself,' There's a rare chance.' He's got tlie stuff on him. He puts it in the brandy glass and afterwards, while we're all fussing round Mr. Watchman, he smears it on the dart. The brandy glass gets smashed to pieces but they find poison on the dart. That's how I work it out. I reckon whoever did this job tried, deliberate, to fix it on Bob Legge." Alleyn looked steadily at him.

  "Can you give us anything to support this theory? " Will hesitated. He looked from Alleyn to Fox, made as if to speak, and then seemed to change his mind.

  "You understand, don't you,"said Alleyn, "that I am not trying to force information. On the other hand if you do know of anything that would give colour to the theory you have yourself advanced it would be advisable to tell us about it." "I know Bob Legge didn't interfere with the dart." "After it was all over and the constable looked for the dart, wasn't it Legge who found it? " "Sure-ly 1 And that goes to show. Wouldn't he have taken his chance to wipe the dart if he'd put poison on it?" "That's well reasoned,"said Alleyn. "I think he would. But your theory involves the glass. Who had an opportunity to put prussic acid in the glass? " Will's fair skin reddened up to the roots of his foxcoloured hair.

  "I've no wish to accuse anybody,"he said. "I know who's innocent and I speak up for him. There won't be many who'll do that. His politics are not the colour to make powerful friends for him when he's in trouble. I know Bob Legge's innocent but I say nothing about the guilty." "Now. look here,"said Alleyn amiably, "you've out his left hand on the board and held out the darts with his right. ' Fire ahead,' he says, or something like that." Alleyn uttered a short exclamation and Will looked quickly at him.

  "That wasn't brought out at the inquest,"said Alleyn.

  "Beg pardon? What wasn't? " "That Mr. Watchman pulled out the darts and gave them to Mr. Legge." "I know that, sir. I only thought of it to-day. I'd have told Mr. Harper next time I saw him." "It's a little odd that you should not remember this until a fortnight after the event." "Is it then? "demanded Will. "I don't reckon it is.

  Us didn't think anything at the time. Ask any of the others. Ask my father. They'll remember all right when they think of it." "All right,"said Alleyn. "I suppose it's natural enough you should forget." "I know what it means,"said Will quickly. "I know that, right enough. Mr. Watchman handled those darts, moving them round in his hands like. How could Bob Legge know which was which after that? " "Not very easily, one would suppose. What next? " "Bob took the darts and stepped back. Then he began to blaze away with 'em. He never so much as glanced at 'em, I know that. He played 'em out quick." "Until the fourth one stuck into the finger? ' "Yes."said Will doggedly, "till then." Alleyn was silent. Fox, note-book in hand, moved over to the window and stood looking over the roofs of Ottercombe to the sea.

  "I'll teU you what it is,"said WU1 suddenly.

  "Yes? "asked Alleyn.

  "I reckon the poison on those darts's a blind." He made this announcement with an air of defiance, and seemed to expect it would bring some sort of protest from the other two. But Alleyn took it very blandly.

  "Yes,"he said, "that's possible, of course." "See what I mean? "said Will eagerly. "The murderer had worked it out he'd poison Mr. Watchman.

  He'd worked it out he'd put the stuff in his drink, first time he got a chance. Then when Bob Legge pricks him by accident, the murderer says to himself,' There's a rare chance.' He's got tlie stuff on him. He puts it in the brandy glass and afterwards, while we're all fussing round Mr. Watchman, he smears it on the dart. The brandy glass gets smashed to pieces but they find poison on the dart. That's how I work it out. I reckon whoever did this job tried, deliberate, to fix it on Bob Legge." Alleyn looked steadily at him.

  "Can you give us anything to support this theory? " Will hesitated. He looked from Alleyn to Fox, made as if to speak, and then seemed to change his mind.

  "You understand, don't you,"said Alleyn, "that I am not trying to force information. On the other hand if you do know of anything that would give colour to the theory you have yourself advanced it would be advisable to tell us about it." "I know Bob Legge didn't interfere with the dart." "After it was all over and the constable looked for the dart, wasn't it Legge who found it? " "Sure-ly I And that goes to show. Wouldn't he have taken his chance to wipe the dart if he'd put poison on it?" "That's well reasoned,"said Alleyn. "I think he would. But your theory involves the glass. Who had an opportunity to put prussic acid in the glass? " Will's fair skin reddened up to the roots of his foxcoloured hair.

  "I've no wish to accuse anybody,"he said. "I know who's innocent and I speak up for him. There won't be many who'll do that. His politics are not the colour to make powerful friends for him when he's in trouble. I know Bob Legge's innocent but I say nothing about the guilty." "Now, look here,"said Alleyn amiably, "you've thought this thing out for yourself and you seem to have thought it out pretty thoroughly. You must see that we can't put a full-stop after your pronouncement on the innocence of Mr. Legge. The best way of establishing Legge's innocence is to find where the guilt lies." "I don't know anything about that? " "Really? " "Yes, sir,"said Will. "Really." "I see. Well, can you tell us if Mr. Legge stood anywhere near the brandy glass before he threw the darts? " "He was nowhere near it. Not ever. It was on the table by the board. He never went near it." "Do you remember who stood near that table." Will was silent. He compressed his lips into a hard line.

  "For instance,"Alleyn paused, "was Mr. Sebastian Parish anywhere near the table? "
"He might have been,"said Will.

  li "And now, Fox,"said Alleyn, "we'll have a word with Mr. Sebastian Parish, if he's on the premises. I don't somehow think he'll have strayed very far. See if you can find him." Fox went away. Alleyn took a long pull at his beer and read through the notes Fox had made during the interview with Will Pomeroy. The light outside had faded and the village had settled down for the evening. Alleyn could hear the hollow sounds made by men working with boats, the tramp of heavy boots on stone, a tranquil murmur of voices, and, more distantly, the thud of breakers. Within the house he lieard sounds of sweeping and of quick footsteps. The Pomeroys had lost no time cleaning up the private bar. In the public bar, across the passage, a single voice seemed to drone on and on as if somebody made a speech to the assembled topers. Who ever it was it came to an end. A burst of conversation followed and then a sudden silence. Alleyn recognised Fox's voice. Someone answered clearly and resonantly, "Yes, certainly." "That's Parish,"thought Alleyn.