“Your inference will hold water, Mr. Goodrich, if any alien has been seen about my premises.”
Goodrich replied hastily:
“ ’M’yes—a question pat to the point.”
“Many persons,” continued Lady Selina, “carry objects like match-boxes, made in Germany.”
At this Agatha came forward. Timothy had gone back into his cottage as soon as he saw Lady Selina approaching. Agatha had remained near the cottage gate, looking anxiously for her lover.
“May I look at the match-box?” she asked quietly.
“Certainly.”
It was handed to her. The crowd edged in closer. Agatha said positively:
“This match-box belongs to John Exton. I struck a match on it not an hour ago, here, on this very spot. I—I had it in my hand. I must have dropped it or left it on this bench. I can’t remember returning it to—to its owner.”
A dramatic silence followed, broken by Goodrich, no longer the parson but the magistrate.