“I propose to begin the search in this room, as we are here.”
I stepped to the piano, and was about raising the lid, which, of course, did not open at my desire.
“Have you the key of this piano?”
“No; my wife has it. You had better ask Mrs. Green for it, sir.”
He called his wife in.
“My dear,” he said, “this gentleman is a private detective. I have told him that we are anxious for the fullest investigation, and shall be glad, indeed, if your servant in custody can be found innocent, although I feel that is totally impossible. Still he thinks he will be able to get some evidence that will divert suspicion from Eliza to one of the other servants.”
“Well,” observed Mrs. Green, “it is an unpleasant thing to have one’s house pulled about in this way; but I suppose it cannot be avoided.”
I nodded assent to the lady’s speech.
“Will you let me have the key of this piano?” I inquired.