The Cinema Murder

. It was perfectly apparent that he meant to enjoy the trip, that he was prepared to like his fellow passengers and that he wished them to know it. Even the somewhat melancholy-looking

y who is to sit on my right will be down directly-Miss Elizabeth Dalstan, the great actress, you know. She is by

and glanced at the

ithout a doubt. I have crossed with you before, haven't I, sir?"

nned American sig

he admitted, "and I'd

film I've seen of your

eamed with s

declared. "I've made some name for myself on the films and

ir of regret. "I'm in the clothing business. If my wife were here, she'd say you wouldn't think it to look at

men remarked from the right-hand side of the table. "

surreptitiously at

by, of course!" he excl

n Works,

ng man

ngineers," he said, indicating a rath

mber your golf, Mr. Busby! You're some driver, eh? And those long p

n England?" the

Greene sho

I tell you this last fortnight has been a giddy whirl for me. I was in Berlin Wedne

air by his side. During the little stir caused by her arrival, no one paid any attention to the man who had slipped into the other vacant pl

a meal. Mr. Romilly, isn't it?" he went on, glancing at his left-hand neighbour's card once more. "My name's Raymond Greene. I am an old traveller and there's no

ore," Phil

e for you, then. Let me make you acquainted with your opposite neighbour, Miss Elizabeth Dalstan. I

hair, a pleasant smile from a very shapely mouth, and the rather intense regard of a p

of seeing Miss Dalstan on

re, have we, Mr. Romilly? Something kind of familiar in your

shook

acturer," he

! I had a fancy that we'd met, and quite lately, too. I am in

lip told him. "Very excellent product

can see that we are going to be quite a friendly party. That's Mr. Busby on your right, Mr.

, replying to Mr. Greene's interrogative glance. "It is my first trip to

are all more or less a family party. What did

" Philip observed, "but I am a m

little curiously. One might have surmis

thing or two from us,

nery, don't you? Well,

should think he has one

must make you acq

rowned s

u know I would very much rather not talk business with any one whil

ly had an over-tired and somewhat depressed appearance. His cheeks were colourless, and there were little dark lines under his eyes as though he suffered from sl

enuous days in business. We all have to stretch out as far as we can go, and keep stretched out,

, and with a note of curiosity in his tone, "I want to know your candid opinion of the last act of the play I saw you in-'H

clared, with a quick little

nversation to his neighbours lower down the table. It was not until the ar

self, Mr. Romilly?" Elizabeth D

attempt at it,

somewhere in Derbyshire, and I sat looking out of the window. It was a dreary neighbourhood, a miserable afternoon, and we happened to be crossing a rather high viaduct. Down below were some meadows and a canal, and by the side of the canal, a path. At a certain point-I should think about half a mile from where the train was standing-this path went underneath a rude bridge, built of bricks and covered over with turf. Well, as I sat there I could see two men, both approaching the bridge along the path from opposite directions. One was tall,

ch. Once more it had not failed him. He had excited interest. In Philip Romilly's eyes there was something even more than interest. It seemed almost as though he were trying to proj

y lady complained, leaning forward in her place.

rsed that tunnel. Notwithstanding that, they neither of them appeared again. I sat there, believe me, with my eyes fastened upon that path, and when the train started I leaned out of the window until we had rounded the c

simple one," Mr. Busby remarked. "They were probab

ene shook his h

y conversation," he pronounced. "They were both tall men-about the same height, I

erself Miss Pinsent observed, "that it was raining heavily a

lothes hadn't even an umbrella. I must admit that I allowed my thoughts to travel in another direction. Professional instinct, you see. It was a fairly broad canal, and the

on

. There was something in her face which puzzled as well as startled him. She had been looking at her opposite ne

You are too dramatic, Mr. Gr

e repeated. "My d

to think of what might have taken place underneath that tunnel! You must remember that I saw it, too. Don't go on. Don't talk about it a

escorted the young lady from the saloon. He glanced back, as he left the table, to nod his adieux to the li

g fellow, that," he re

at I've met or seen so