Twenty-four COLIN LAMB’S NARRATIVE¹ I

When Sheila had gone, I went across to the Clarendon, packed my bag and left it ready with theporter. It was the kind of hotel where they are particular about your checking out before noon.
Then I set out. My route took me past the police station, and after hesitating a moment, I wentin. I asked for Hardcastle and he was there. I found him frowning down at a letter in his hand.
“I’m off again this evening, Dick,” I said. “Back to London.”
He looked up at me with a thoughtful expression.
“Will you take a piece of advice from me?”
“No,” I said immediately.
He paid no attention. People never do when they want to give you advice.
“I should get away—and stay away—if you know what’s best for you.”
“Nobody can judge what’s best for anyone else.”
“I doubt that.”
“I’ll tell you something, Dick. When I’ve tidied up my present assignment, I’m quitting. Atleast—I think I am.”
“Why?”
“I’m like an old-fashioned Victorian clergyman. I have Doubts.”
“Give yourself time.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. I asked him what he himself was looking so worried about.
“Read that.” He passed me the letter he had been studying.
Dear Sir,
I’ve just thought of something. You asked me if my husband had any identifyingmarks and I said he hadn’t. But I was wrong. Actually he has a kind of scarbehind his left ear. He cut himself with a razor when a dog we had jumped up athim, and he had to have it stitched up. It was so small and unimportant I neverthought of it the other day.
Yours truly,
Merlina Rival
“She writes a nice dashing hand,” I said, “though I’ve never really fancied purple ink. Did thedeceased have a scar?”
“He had a scar all right. Just where she says.”
“Didn’t she see it when she was shown the body?”
Hardcastle shook his head.
“The ear covers it. You have to bend the ear forward before you can see it.”
“Then that’s all right. Nice piece of corroboration². What’s eating you?”
Hardcastle said gloomily that this case was the devil! He asked if I would be seeing my Frenchor Belgian friend in London.
“Probably. Why?”
“I mentioned him to the chief

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