“It was her purse,” went on Cynthia, “and she’s going to be a brick and let the poor man off. Tell Mr. Fayre about it, Mrs. Doggett.”
“I must ’a’ dropped it just before I got to the gate, sir,” explained the old woman. “I hadn’t been home more than a few minutes when I missed it and went out again into the road to have a look. I found it almost at once, but it was empty. I was quite took aback, wondering who could ’a’ cleaned it out in such a short time, when I remembered seein’ some one comin’ towards me as I neared the gate. I went up the road a bit, but I couldn’t see no one, so I give it up. There wasn’t only half-a-crown in it and, if he was in want, I’m glad he should have it, pore soul.”
“Do you remember at all what time you reached home that night?” asked Fayre.
“I couldn’t tell you to a minute, sir, but it must have been somewhere round about six-thirty, I should say. I’d been doin’ me bit of shoppin’ at Whitbury and I usually stay till the shops close at six and it’s just about half an hour’s walk home.”
“How long were you in the house, do you think, before you discovered your loss?”
“I can’t rightly say, but not more than a quarter of an hour. I hurried out as soon as I found it was gone. It wasn’t long, because me ’usband come in for ’is supper at seven and I’d got it all cooked and ready for ’im by then. And he hasn’t been late once this month, to my knowledge, sir.”
“Then, that clears the tramp. You’ve done him more than one good turn to-day, Mrs. Doggett. Perhaps Lady Cynthia explained that I had promised not to report the theft to the police, so if you wouldn’t mind keeping it dark . . .”
“They won’t hear nothing from me, sir! I don’t want no traffic with them. Writin’ everythin’ down in their little books! Oh, I couldn’t, sir, thankin’ you kindly all the same,” she finished, as Fayre slipped a note into her hand. “It wasn’t only half-a-crown and I don’t grudge it ’im.”
“You’ve got to, Mrs. Doggett,” called Cynthia over her shoulder as the car leaped forward. “And you deserve it for being such a brick.”
“So that’s that!” said Fayre, with striking lack of originality. “He’s out of it. Now we can concentrate on the real culprits. It’ll take us all our time, too!” he added ruefully.