“H’m,” said Bannister; “how long usually elapses between the trunks going on to the wagon and being put on the lorry?”
“That depends, sir,” said the porter, pushing his cap back from his forehead, “and it varies, too. Sometimes, a matter of a few minutes, sometimes in the afternoon, perhaps, the luggage might stand on the wagon down here for a couple of hours.”
“As it might on the platform, too,” declared Bannister. He turned sharply to Sergeant Godfrey, “You say there’s nothing been found on the platform that appears to have been substituted for Miss Carruthers’ case?”
“Nothing, Inspector.”
“Suppose we have a glance at this luggage-wagon, Inspector,” ventured Anthony. “I suppose it’s on duty to-day, isn’t it, porter?”
“It is, sir.”
“Very well, Mr. Bathurst—I’m perfectly agreeable.” They trooped along the corridor.
“There’s the wagon,” pointed out the porter, “standing there by the door. We load the lorry up from here.”
Bannister and Godfrey and Anthony walked up to it.
“Easily accessible from the street,” demonstrated the last-named with a motion of the hand.