Twenty-two MRS. HUMBLEBY SPEAKS

Luke was favourably¹ impressed by the appearance of SuperintendentBattle. He was a solid, comfortable-looking man with a broad red face anda large handsome moustache. He did not exactly express brilliance³ at afirst glance, but a second glance was apt to make an observant personthoughtful, for Superintendent² Battle’s eye was unusually shrewd.
Luke did not make the mistake of underestimating him. He had metmen of Battle’s type before. He knew that they could be trusted, and thatthey invariably got results. He could not have wished for a better man tobe put in charge of the case.
When they were alone together Luke said:
“You’re rather a big noise to be sent down on a case like this?”
Superintendent Battle smiled.
“It may turn out to be a serious business, Mr. Fitzwilliam. When a manlike Lord Whitfield is concerned, we don’t want to have any mistakes.”
“I appreciate that. Are you alone?”
“Oh, no. Got a detective-sergeant with me. He’s at the other pub, theSeven Stars, and his job is to keep an eye on his lordship.”
“I see.”
Battle asked:
“In your opinion, Mr. Fitzwilliam, there’s no doubt whatever? You’repretty sure of your man?”
“On the facts I don’t see that any alternative theory is possible. Do youwant me to give you the facts?”
“I’ve had them, thank you, from Sir William.”
“Well, what do you think? I suppose it seems to you wildly unlikely thata man in Lord Whitfield’s position should be a homicidal criminal?”
“Very few things seem unlikely to me,” said Superintendent Battle.
“Nothing’s impossible in crime. That’s what I’ve always said. If you wereto tell me that a dear old maiden⁴ lady, or an archbishop, or a schoolgirl,was a dangerous criminal, I wouldn’t say no. I’d look into the matter.”
“If you’ve heard the main facts of the case from Sir William, I’ll just tellyou what happened this morning,” said Luke.
He ran over briefly⁵ the main lines of his scene with Lord Whitfield. Su-perintendent Battle listened with a good deal of interest.

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