Fuller looked startled. “Darling you never went by yourself to see that dreadful old hag?”
“Yes, I did, and I don’t think she’s so very dreadful. She was very nice to me in every way, and what she told me only cost a sovereign.”
“Marie, you shouldn’t have gone to Rotherhithe without telling me.”
“If I had you would have stopped me,” pouted Miss Inderwick; “and I did so want to do something to help Uncle Ran.”
“But has your visit helped him? Mother Slaig may be wrong about Bakche, and may have mistaken a lascar for him.”
“There was no question of mistaking anyone,” retorted Marie quickly, “for Mother Slaig did not know the name. I described Mr. Bakche as you did, and she said that she had seen a man of that description—the snake man she called him.”
“The snake man,” repeated Alan swiftly. “Why?”
“On his right arm from the wrist to the elbow he had a snake tattooed in spirals.”
Fuller slapped his knee, and spoke excitedly. “Mother Slaig is right, dear, and so are you. Miss Grison told me that Bakche had such a mark.”
“Then he must have been at Rotherhithe and known Mr. Grison,” said Miss Inderwick.