"At one of your entertainments?"
"That, on my honor, I can't say."
H.M. turned to Ann. "You ever seen that feller before?" he inquired, pointing a big flipper.
Ann looked puzzled. "No, I'm almost sure I haven't," she smiled. "And I'm sure I should have remembered Dr. Rich."
"Miss Browning, at least, isn't of a very trusting nature," observed Rich, with an expression which removed offense. "I think she was inclined to doubt whether Mrs. Fane was really under hypnosis. A little while ago, she was going to apply the elementary test of sticking a pin into the victim to find out. So I applied the pin."
He related the incident just as it had taken place. But he added nothing else.
"Dr. Rich, I don't think that's very nice of you!" said Ann, appealing to the others. "I really wasn't going to do anything of the sort. But it's just as well we know, isn't it?"
H.M. peered round the group.
"Now look here," he said. "I'm not goin' to ask for your individual stories, any of you. There's a chap coming from London tomorrow who'll do that. I'll just say this. Is there anything else, anything you can tell me, except what you've already told the inspector here? Did anything else happen except what you've mentioned?"
"No," answered Rich firmly.