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was drawn back so tightly over her narrow head that it almost lost the effect of being hair at all。 Her eyebrows were thin and unusually straight and were darker than her hair； almost a chestnut color。 Her nostrils had the whitish look of an anaemic person。 Her chin was too small； too sharp and looked unstable。 She wore no makeup except orange…red on her mouth and not much of that。 Her eyes behind the glasses were very large； cobalt blue with big irises and a vague expression。 Both lids were tight so that the eyes had a slightly oriental look； or as if the skin of her face was naturally so tight that it stretched her eyes at the corners。 The whole face had a sort of off…key neurotic charm that only needed some clever makeup to be striking。
She wore a one…piece linen dress with short sleeves and no ornament of any kind。 Her bare arms had down on them； and a few freckles。
I didn't pay much attention to what she said over the telephone。 Whatever was said to her she wrote down in shorthand； with deft easy strokes of the pencil。 When she was through she hung the phone book back on a hook and stood up and smoothed the linen dress down over her thighs and said：
〃If you will just wait a few moments〃 and went towards the door。
Halfway there she turned back and pushed a top drawer of her desk shut at the side。 She went out。 The door closed。 There was silence。 Outside the window bees buzzed。 Far off I heard the whine of a vacuum cleaner。 I picked the unlighted cigarette off my hat； put it in my mouth and stood up。 I went around the desk and pulled open the drawer she had e back to shut。
It wasn't any of my business。 I was just curious。 It wasn't any of my business that she had a small Colt automatic in the drawer。 I shut it and sat down again。
She was gone about four minutes。 She opened the door and stayed at it and said： 〃Mrs。 Murdock will see you now。〃
We went along some more hallway and she opened half of a double glass door and stood aside。 I went in and the door was closed behind me。
It was so dark in there that at first I couldn't see anything but the outdoors light ing through thick bushes and screens。 Then I saw that the room was a sort of sun porch that had been allowed to get pletely overgrown outside。 It was furnished with grass rugs and reed stuff。 There was a reed chaise longue over by the window。 It had a curved back and enough cushions to stuff an elephant and there was a woman leaning back on it with a wine glass in her hand。 I could smell the thick scented alcoholic odor of the wine before I could see her properly。 Then my eyes got used to the light and I could see her。
She had a lot of face and chin。 She had pewter…colored hair set in a ruthless permanent； a hard beak and large moist eyes with the sympathetic expression of wet stones。 There was lace at her throat； but it was the kind of throat that would have looked better in a football sweater。 She wore a grayish silk dress。 Her thick arms were bare and mottled。 There were jet buttons in her ears。 There was a low glass…topped table beside her and a bottle of port on the table。 She sipped from the glass she was holding and looked at me over it and said nothing。
I stood there。 She let me stand while she finished the port in her glass and put the glass down on the table and filled it again。 Then she tapped her lips with a handkerchief。 Then she spoke。 Her voice had a hard baritone quality and sounded as if it didn't want any nonsense。
〃Sit down； Mr。 Marlowe。 Please do not light that cigarette。 I'm asthmatic。〃
I sat down in a reed rocker and tucked the still unlighted cigarette down behind the handkerchief in my outside pocket。
〃I've never had any dealing with private detectives； Mr。 Marlowe。 I don't know anything about them。 Your references seem satisfactory。 What are your charges？〃
〃To do what； Mrs。 Murdock？〃
〃It's a very confidential matter； naturally。 Nothing to do with the police。 If it had to do with the police； I should have called the police。〃
〃I charge twenty…five dollars a day； Mrs。 Murdock。 And of course expenses。〃
〃It seems high。 You must make a great deal of money。〃 She drank some more of her port。 I don't like port in hot weather； but it's nice when they let you refuse it。
〃No；〃 I said。 〃It isn't。 Of course you can get detective work done at any pricejust like legal work。 Or dental work。 I'm not an organization。 I'm just one man and I work at just one case at a time。 I take risks； sometimes quite big risks； and I don't work all the time。 No； I don't think twenty…five dollars a day is too much。〃
〃I see。 And what is the nature of the expenses？〃
〃Little things that e up here and there。 You never know。〃
〃I should prefer to know；〃 she said acidly。
〃You'll know；〃 I said。 〃You'll get it all down in black and white。 You'll have a chance to object； if you don't like it。〃
〃And how much retainer would you expect？〃
〃A hundred dollars would hold me；〃 I said。
〃I should hope it would；〃 she said and finished her port and poured the glass full again without even waiting to wipe her lips。
〃From people in your position； Mrs。 Murdock； I don't necessarily have to have a retainer。〃
〃Mr。 Marlowe；〃 she said； 〃I'm a strong…minded woman。 But don't let me scare you。 Because if you can be scared by me； you won't be much use to me。〃
I nodded and let that one drift with the tide。
She laughed suddenly and then she belched。 It was a nice light belch； nothing showy； and performed with easy unconcern。 〃My asthma；〃 she said carelessly。 〃I drink this wine as medicine。 That's why I'm not offering you any。〃
I swung a leg over my knee。 I hoped that wouldn't hurt her asthma。
〃Money；〃 she said； 〃is not really important。 A woman in my position is always overcharged and gets to expect it。 I hope you will be worth your fee。 Here is the situation。 Something of considerable value has been stolen from me。 I want it back； but I want more than that。 I don't want anybody arrested。 The thief happens to be a member of my family by marriage。〃
She turned the wine glass with her thick fingers and smiled faintly in the dim light of the shadowed room。 〃My daughter…in…law；〃 she said。 〃A charming girland tough as an oak board。〃
She looked at me with a sudden gleam in her eyes。
〃I have a damn fool of a son；〃 she said。 〃But I'm very fond of him。 About a year ago he made an idiotic marriage； without my consent。 This was foolish of him because he is quite incapable of earning a living and he has no money except what I give him； and I am not generous with money。 The lady he chose； or who chose him； was a night club singer。 Her name； appropriately enough； was Linda Conquest。 They have lived here in this house。 We didn't quarrel because I don't allow people to quarrel with me in my own house； but there has not been good feeling between us。 I have paid their expenses； given each of them a car； made the lady a sufficient but not gaudy allowance for clothes and so on。 No doubt she found the life rather dull。 No doubt she found my son dull。 I find him dull myself。 At any rate she moved out； very abruptly； a week or so ago； without leaving a forwarding address or saying good…by。〃
She coughed； f