"None at all," said Loraine. "But I thought if I took it with me—well, that it would give me a comforting feeling."
"Quite so," said Battle gravely.
"My idea was to come over here and see what was going on. I left the car in the road and climbed through the hedge and came up to the terrace. I was just looking about me when—plop—something fell right at my feet. I picked it up and then looked to see where it could have come from. And then I saw the man climbing down the ivy and I ran."
"Just so," said Battle. "Now, Miss Wade, can you describe that man at all?"
The girl shook her head.
"It was too dark to see much. I think he was a big man—but that's about all."
"And now you, Mr. Thesiger." Battle turned to him. "You struggled with the man—can you tell me anything about him?"
"He was a pretty hefty individual—that's all I can say. He gave a few hoarse whispers—that's when I had him by the throat. He said, 'Lemme go, guvnor,' something like that."
"An uneducated man, then?"
"Yes, I suppose he was. He spoke like one."