Wimsey expressed sympathy. "Have you been here long?" he added.
"Best part o' twenty minutes."
"Did you see anything pass along this way from Little Doddering?"
"Ain't been nothing along while I've been here. What sort of thing did you mean, sir?"
"I thought I saw——" Wimsey hesitated. He did not care about the idea of making a fool of himself. "A carriage with four horses," he said hesitatingly. "It passed me on this road not a quarter of an hour ago—down at the other end of the common. I—I came back to see. It seemed unusual——" He became aware that his story sounded very lame.
The policeman spoke rather sharply and rapidly.
"There ain't been nothing past here."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, sir; and, if you don't mind me sayin' so, you'd best be getting home. It's a lonesome bit o' road."
"Yes, isn't it?" said Wimsey. "Well, good night, sergeant."