CHAPTER EIGHTEENMiss Silver took up the telephone receiver. There was a considerable buzzing on the line. A high, young voice said, ‘So I told him I’d never speak to him again——’ and ceased abruptly. Miss Silver speculated with mild interest as to whether this was a sidelight on the love affairs of the rather spectacular young woman who had recently moved into the flat below her own. She had encountered her in the lift, but had never heard her voice, or she would not have had to speculate.
The buzzing continued. In the midst of it her own name sounded very faintly. She at once repeated it in a precise manner. Quite suddenly the line was clear. A man’s voice said, dragging on the words,
‘I want to speak to Miss Silver.’
‘This is Miss Silver speaking.’
The drag became more evident.
‘She
