“She never did such a thing before since I have been in her service.”
“How do you account for it this time?”
“I do not account for it at all, sir.”
“What time were you sent away on the errand?”
“About noon, sir.”
“What was the errand?”
“I was sent to see a woman who had been recommended to us—or, rather, to Miss Danton—as one who could do fine sewing beautifully. I was to talk with her, and, if she seemed satisfactory, to engage her services; but the address was evidently incorrect, for no such person lived there. It was in Brooklyn, so I had a long distance to travel, but I made good time and so caught a train back to the Fells half an hour quicker than I otherwise would have done.”
“I see. You were sent on a wild-goose chase after an imaginary person in order to get you out of the house while the packing was going on, and it was intended that you should not return until after it was all over, and she had gone, too.”
“It would seem so, sir.”
“The last time you saw your mistress was when you put her to bed Saturday night?”