‘Mr Austin Ponson and Sir William!’ The sergeant reached his climax with an air of triumph.
Tanner was genuinely surprised.
‘Couldn’t have been,’ he said after a moment. ‘I went into all that. Mr Austin was half-way to the Abbey ruins at that time.’
‘She was quite certain, and she said the man Potts was certain too.’
‘Have you seen him?’
‘No, sir. He is a bookseller’s assistant in London—to Evans & Hope, in Paternoster Row. His people live here, and he was down on a couple of days’ holidays.’
Tanner noted the address.
‘How was Mr Austin supposed to be dressed?’
‘In bluish grey clothes that looked like flannel, and a white straw hat.’
‘And Sir William?’