"He's a most elusive gentleman whom we have been brooding over for some years. At the time of the libel case his name wasn't even mentioned, but it fairly hummed between the lines. He's a Yank, and his pet names are 'Snow' and 'Dopey.' "

"Golly! It looks rum for Saint, doesn't it?"

"Yes, doesn't it? Get on with your typing."

"If he did it," announced Nigel, above the rattle of the machine, "he must have come round a second time, behind the scenes."

"And old Blair swears he didn't. I spoke to him last night while you were hunting up the taxi."

"May have been asleep."

"Says he wasn't. Says he retired to his cubby-hole, after we had gone through, and waited there. The bluebottle at the door thought he was with the others on the stage."

"Funny. Blair didn't speak to the bluebottle."

"I thought so too. He said he believed in keeping himself to himself, and such a thing had never happened before at the Unicorn."

"Why did you ask about Saint's doctor?"

"I wanted to know if the dear old gentleman was enjoying bonny health."

"Oh, rats!"

"I did. He looks like a heart subject. Such rosy cheeks."

Nigel returned, in exasperation, to his typing.

"There," he said presently. "That's done."

Alleyn touched a bell and brought forth a constable. "Is Mincing out there? The man I saw just now?"

"He is, sir."

"Read this through to him and get him to sign it. Then let him go. He's a horrid man."

"Very good, sir." The constable grinned and withdrew.

"Now, Bathgate," began Alleyn. "If you really want to be a help, there's something you can do for me. You can find out who the journalist was whose name was taken in vain over that article. Seek him out and do a bit of ferreting. Discover, if you can, any connection between him and the characters in our cast. See if he knew Surbonadier or Gardener—wait a moment; don't be so touchy—and if either of them is likely to have introduced him to the other. Got that?"

"Yes. I suppose I'll find his name in the files."

"The report of the case will give it. Hullo! Come in!"

Detective-Sergeant Bailey put his head round the door.

"Busy, inspector?" he inquired.

"Not if it's the Unicorn case."

"It is," announced Bailey. He came in and, at Alleyn's invitation, sat down. Nigel kept quiet and hoped to hear something.

"It's the report on the cartridges," began Bailey. "The white stain was stuff used by Miss Vaughan. It's in a bottle labelled 'Stage-White'! It has been upset, but there was plenty left, and quite enough for the analyst on the glove. All the ladies used some sort of stuff, but hers was different. Specially made up for her. I've seen the chemist."

"And the same on the thumb of the glove?"