The butler said slowly: "Two of the maids were out, sir. None of the rest of the staff."
"You are sure of that?"
"Yes, sir."
"Were you in the servants' hall?"
"No, sir. I was in my pantry most of the evening. Before that I was in the dining room clearing things away."
"So that you would have known had anyone left the house by the front door?"
"No one opened the front door this evening, sir," said Baker, meeting his gaze squarely.
Mr. Amberley returned to the study of Punch. He appeared to take no further interest in the sergeant's examination of Baker, but as the butler was about to leave the room ten minutes later, he raised his eyes for a moment and said: "Did it appear to you, when you looked in Collins' room, that he had taken anything away, as though he were leaving for good?"
"No, sir," replied Baker. "Mr. Fountain told me to look particularly. I took the liberty of glancing in the cupboard and the chest of drawers. So far as I could judge nothing had been taken away."
"And you looked pretty thoroughly?"