Thirty-two EVANS
Frankie gasped¹.
Bobby’s voice rose excitedly.
“You see, you’ve asked the same question that Carstairs asked. Whydidn’t they ask the parlourmaid? Why didn’t they ask Evans?”
“Oh! Bobby, we’re getting there at last!”
“The same thing must have struck Carstairs. He was nosing round, justas we were, looking for something fishy—and this point struck him just asit struck us. And, moreover, I believe he came to Wales for that reason.
Gladys Evans is a Welsh name—Evans was probably a Welsh girl. He wasfollowing her to Marchbolt. And someone was following him—and so, henever got to her.”
“Why didn’t they ask Evans?” said Frankie. “There must be a reason. It’ssuch a silly little point—and yet it’s important. With a couple of maids inthe house, why send out for a gardener?”
“Perhaps because both Chudleigh and Albert Mere² were chumps,whereas Evans was rather a sharp girl.”
“It can’t be only that. Mr. Elford was there and he’s quite shrewd. Oh!
Bobby, the whole situation is there—I know it is. If we could just get at thereason. Evans. Why Chudleigh and Mere and not Evans?”
Suddenly she stopped and put both hands over her eyes.
“It’s coming,” she said. “Just a sort of flicker³. It’ll come in a minute.”
She stayed dead still for a minute or two, then removed her hands andlooked at her companion with an odd flicker in her eyes.
“Bobby,” she said, “if you’re staying in a house with two servants whichdo you tip?”
“The house parlourmaid, of course,” said Bobby, surprised. “One nevertips a cook. One never sees her, for one thing.”
“No, and she never sees you. At least she might catch a glimpse of you ifyou were there some time. But a house parlourmaid waits on you at din-ner and calls you and hands you coffee.”
“What are you getting at, Frankie?”
“They couldn’t have Evans witnessing that will—because Evans wouldhave known that it wasn’t Mr. Savage⁴ who was making it.”
“Good Lord, Frankie, what do you mean? Who was it then?”
“Bassington-ffrench, of course! Don’t you see, he impersonated Savage? Ibet it was Bassington-ffrench who went to that doctor and made all thatfuss about having cancer. Then the lawyer is sent for—a stranger whodoesn’t know Mr. Savage but who will be able to swear that he saw Mr.

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