"I see."
"Not very valuable pieces of evidence in themselves, but very valuable as proof of the girl's story. For instance she really did miss that Larborough-London coach. Our witness says that it passed him about half a mile down the road. When he came in sight of the bus-stop a few moments later the girl was there waiting. It is a long straight road, the main London road through Mainshill—"
"I know. I know it."
"Yes; well, when he was still some way from the girl he saw the car stop by her, saw her get in, and saw her driven away."
"But not who drove the car?"
"No. It was too far away for that."
"And this girl from the farm-did she volunteer the information about the screaming?"
"Not to us. She spoke about it to her friends, and we acted on information, and found her quite willing to repeat the story on oath."
"Did she speak about it to her friends before the gossip about Betty Kane's abduction got round?"
"Yes."