Page:The Viaduct Murder (1926).pdf/57

"I was, and I cursed you pretty freely. However, I extricated myself without any heart-to-heart talks with Mr. Jarrold. I just said, 'I'm so sorry, I must have made some mistake; this is Doctor Masterman's house, isn't it?' That killed two birds with one stone, I eluded suspicion and also got directed to the other Masterman house, a big house, the man said, at the other end of the water-meadow behind the church."

"So you went on there?"

"No; it occurred to me that a man who lived in a house that size probably kept a manservant or two, and it was up to me to personate one of them. So I went round to the Binver Steam Laundry, where I'm not known personally; and said I was from Dr. Masterman's, and could they be kind enough to inform Dr. Masterman as to what action they intended taking about the twelve last handkerchiefs that hadn't come back from the wash. That sounds risky, but it wasn't really, because all men think they've more clothes at the wash than they really have. The lady in charge was quite patient and kind, obviously well accustomed to that sort of complaint; she said all Dr. Masterman's handkerchiefs had been sent back. Fortunately I bluffed, and insisted upon a search; after a bit she came and put into my hands a pile of handkerchiefs, which I took away with me. There were five of them, four Mastermans and a Brotherhood."

"Oh! That rather looks as if⁠———"

"Exactly; it looks as if we ought to have recog-