'He never had any such thing that I know of,' she answered stoutly; 'and nothing could be hid from me in these drawers, Sir; for I had the key, except when it lay in the lock, and it must ha' been his horsewhip; it has some rings like of leather round it, and he used to lay it on these drawers.'
Cluffe was, perhaps, a little bit stupid, and Lowe knew it; but it was the weakness of that good magistrate to discover in a witness for the crown many mental and moral attributes which he would have failed to recognise in him had he appeared for the prisoner.
'And where's that whip, now?' demanded Lowe.
'By the hall-door, with his riding-coat, Sir,' answered the bewildered housekeeper.
'Go on, if you please, Ma'am, and let me see it.'
So to the hall they went, and there, lying across the pegs from which Mr. Dangerfield's surtout and riding-coat depended, there certainly was a whip with the butt fashioned very much in the shape described by Captain Cluffe; but alas, no weapon—a mere toy—leather and cat-gut.
Lowe took it in his hand, and weighing it with a look of disgust and disappointment, asked rather impatiently—
'Where's Captain Cluffe?'
The captain had gone away.
'Very well, I see,' said Lowe, replacing the whip; 'that will do. The hound!'