"Mask? Oh, he knows nothing. He said so at the inquest."
"I wonder if the wooden hand has anything to do with the matter?"
"Well," said Saltars, rising and yawning, "it was certainly stolen, so it would seem it had a value. Of course if the hand was sent to Mask it was to be a sign that he had to give up any money he might have. It might have been stolen for that purpose."
"Yes, and the man might have been murdered to obtain possession of it."
"I don't think so. If Strode had been murdered on that account, the hand would have been stolen when the body was lying in the Red Deeps."
"It was stolen when it lay in the cottage," said Miss Lorry, "I remember. And Mask said that he had no money of Strode's, so there's not much use of the hand being sent to him. It's all very queer."
"Do you intend to try and unravel the mystery of the death?"
"Why not? I'd like that girl married to Hill and out of my way. I don't intend to let her marry you. So good-night," and Miss Lorry marched off without a word more.