[Chapter IX]
The Ko-Katana
Thinking aloud, rather than addressing his companions, Brett began again:—
“The man must have had some place in which to change his clothes, for he would not court attention by walking about in evening dress by broad daylight He met and spoke with Alan Hume-Frazer that afternoon. The result was unsatisfactory. The stranger resolved to visit him again at night—the night of the ball. In a country village on such an occasion, a swallow-tailed coat was a passe-partout, as many gentry had come in from the surrounding district.”
“Yes, that is so,” broke in Hume.
Brett momentarily looked through him, and the detective shook his head to deprecate any further interruption.
“He could not enter Mrs. Eastham’s house, for there everybody knew everybody else. He could not enter the library of the Hall, because the footman was on duty for several hours. Is not that so?”
He seemed to bite both men with the question.
“Yes,” they answered.