Mother said "No," and so did I; but I could see the policeman's mind to be hankering after Mr. Russell.
"When was he here last?" says he.
I wanted mother to answer, but neither she nor father spoke, and I had to say—
"He went away a whole month before his sister."
"Never been to the place since?"
"Not to my knowledge," said mother; but the policeman kept looking at me, and I couldn't help my colour getting up.
"Never been since?" said he.
"He meant to come and fetch his sister—but he—didn't!" I said, almost whispering. In a sort of way that was true, for sure enough he hadn't been to fetch Mary. But, on the other hand, it was not true, for I was trying to make the policeman think that he had not been at all, when he had been.
The policeman made an odd sort of a click with his tongue.
"When did you see your watch last?" says he.