"She didn't seem to be the type of a kleptomaniac, if you know what I mean," he said. "Nor a thief either." "And you can't think of any other reason for her having done what she did?" "Other reason? What other reason could there be?" "Well, she might have wanted to arouse the interest of Mr. Colin Mcationabb." "That's a bit far-fetched, isn't it?" "But it did arouse his interest." "Yes, of course it did. Old Colin's absolutely dead keen on any kind of psychological abnormality." "Well, then. If Celia Austin knew that.

Len shook his head.

"You're wrong there. She wouldn't have been capable of thinking a thing like that out. Of planning it, I mean.

She hadn't got the knowledge." "You've got the knowledge, though, haven't you?" "What do you mean?" "T mean that, out of a purely kindly intention, you might have suggested something of the kind to her." Len gave a short laugh.

"Think I'd do some damfool thing like that? You're crazy." The Inspector shifted his round.

"Do you think that Celia Austin spilled the ink over Elizabeth Johnston's papers or do you think someone else did it?" "Someone else. Celia said she didn't do that and I believe her. Celia never got Tiled by Bess; not like some other people did." "Who got riled by her-and why?" "She ticked people off, you know." Len thought about it for a moment or two. "Anyone who made a rash statement. She'd look across the table and she'd say, in that precise way of hers, "I'm afraid that is not borne out by the facts. Tt has been well established by statistics that Somethin, of that kind.

Well, it was riting, you know comespecially to people who like making rash statements, like Nigel Chapman for instance." "Ah yes. Nigel Chapman." "And it was green ink, too." "So you think it was Niel who did it?" "Well, it's possible, at least. He's a spiteful sort of cove, you know, and I think he might have a bit of racial feeling. About the only one of us who has." "Can you think of anybody else who Miss Johnston annoyed with her exactitude and her habit of correction?" "Well, Colin Mcationabb wasn't too pleased, now and again, and she got Jean Tomlinson's goat once or twice." Sharpe asked a few more desultory questions but Len Bateson had nothing useful to add. Next Sharpe saw Valerie Hobhouse.

Valerie was cool, elegant and wary. She displayed much less nervousness than either of the men had done. She had been fond of Celia, she said.

Celia was not particularly bright and it was rather pathetic the way she had set her heart on Colin Mcationabb.

"Do you think she was a kleptomaniac, Miss Hobhouse?" "Well, I suppose so. I don't really know much about the subject." "Do you think anyone had put her up to doing what she did?" Valerie shrugged her shoulders.

"You mean in order to attract that pompous ass Colin?" "You're very quick on the point, Miss Hobhouse.