"You said," she exclaimed to Masters, "the murde — this person — you said this person was 'somebody from outside.'"
Masters pulled himself together, remembering official caution.
"Did I say that, miss?" he inquired, eyeing the brief-case. "Then I must have meant it mustn't I?" "So in that case…"
"As for the trick with fresh blood on the dagger that wasn't used, that's easy. Lummy! The whole alibi-trick was only a conjuring principle. Sir Henry could tell you that People won't believe what's as clear as daylight People won't believe how small a space a body can occupy; and, when a dozen girls walk out of a little cabinet there's no hocus-pocus: the girls were honestly there. They won't believe the time a thing happened, from a coin-change to a couple of bodies, was back-to-foremost Sir Henry could tell you that But will he? Oh, no! He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.."
Martin Drake, stung by memory, fumbled at his wrist watch.
"Fifteen minutes!" he echoed. "It's more than half an hour!" "What do you mean, more than half an, hour?" "I promised Lady Brayle—"
"Martin, you did!" Jenny began to move apprehensively. " — that H.M. would ring her in half an hour. If she doesn't hear from him, she'll be here and start a riot!" "Agreed," said Masters.
"Then you never will catch your murderer," said Martin, whose brain burned to know the look of somebody's face. "And I’ve got a score to settle too."
"You have," agreed Masters, looking at him in a curious way.
"Isn't there any way to find H.M.?"