“My aunt, I think,” said Mr. Sanders.
“She might be. Anyway, barring the doctor’s young lady, she was the worst of them for wanting to have Mr. Red hanged for murdering the lot of yez.”
“I wouldn’t wonder if he was hanged,” said Constable Cole, “the way he’s conducting himself. It’s scandalous.”
“The orders I got,” went on Sergeant Farrelly, “was to proceed to Rosivera, and ask Mr. Red whether he’d noticed two Members of Parliament going by his gate on bicycles the day before.”
“And not to be in too great a hurry over the job,” said Constable Cole, “because you was only doing it to satisfy the ladies.”
“Whisht!” said the sergeant; “what call have you to be repeating confidential orders? So we came along——”
“Wait a minute,” said Dr. O’Grady. “How did you get off without taking Miss Blow with you? I’d have expected her to insist on going too.”
“She did,” said the sergeant; “and it was only by means of a stratagem we got clear of her. It was Constable Cole invented the stratagem. He’s great at that.”
“How did he manage?”
“Never mind about the stratagem,” said Mr. Sanders; “go on with your narrative.”