"I have none to give you," answered Brenton.
"If you have not, will you undertake to answer any questions I shall ask you, and not take offence if the questions seem to be personal ones?"
"Certainly," said Brenton; "I shall be glad to answer anything as long as it has a bearing on the case."
"Very well, then, it has a very distinct bearing on the case. Do you remember the girl Jane Morton?"
"I remember her, of course, as one of the servants in our employ. I know very little about her, though."
"That is just what I wish to find out. Do you know anything about her?"
"No; she had been in our employ but a fortnight, I think, or perhaps it was a month. My wife attended to these details, of course. I knew the girl was there, that is all."
The Frenchman looked very dubious as Brenton said this, while the latter rather bridled up.
"You evidently do not believe me?" he cried.
Once more the detective gave his customary gesture, and said—