Black Orchids

Wolfe's eyes went through the gap between Brady and me to focus on Larry. "You are a very silly young man, Mr. Huddleston. Incredibly callow. You were smugly gratified because you thought I was expecting to find a picture of Miss Nichols in your watch case and would be chagrined not to. You were wrong. Now, doctor, and Archie, please observe. Here is the back of the watch. Here is a picture of Miss Nichols, trimmed to six sides, and apparently to fit. The point could be definitely determined by opening the watch case, but I'm not going to, because it will be opened later and microscopically compared with the picture to prove that it did contain it-Archie!"

I bulwarked. I owed Larry a smack anyhow, for bad manners if nothing else, but I didn't actually deliver it, since all he did was shoot off his mouth and try to shove through Brady and me to make a grab for the watch. So I merely stiff-armed him and propelled him backwards into his chair and stood ready.

"So," Wolfe went on imperturbably, "I put the watch and picture inside separate envelopes for safekeeping. Thus. If, Mr. Huddleston, you are wondering how I got that picture, your aunt left it here. I suggest that it is time for you to help us a little, and I'll start with a question that I can make a test of. When did your aunt take that picture from you?"

Larry was trying to sneer, but it wasn't working very well. His face couldn't hold it because some of the muscles were making movements of their own.

"Probably," Wolfe said, "it's time to let the police in. I suppose they'll get along faster with you-"

"You fat bastard!" But the snarl in Larry's voice had become a whine.

Wolfe grimaced. "I'll try once more, sir. You are going to answer these questions, if not for me then for someone less fat but more importunate. Would you rather have it dug out of the servants and your friends and acquaintances? It's shabby enough as it is; that would only make it worse. When did your aunt take that picture from you?"

Larry's jaw worked, but his tongue didn't. Wolfe waited ten seconds, then said curtly:

"Let them in, Archie."

I took a step, but before I took another one Larry blurted:

"Goddamn you! You know damn well when she took it! She took it the day she came down here!"

Wolfe nodded. "That's better. But that wasn't the first time she objected to your relations with Miss Nichols. Was

it?"

"No."

"Did she object on moral grounds?"