Only, it seemed, because Gascoigne kept saying that there must have been some hanky-panky with the gear. After a great many tedious false starts she at last told Alleyn that, when they were all hustled away from the scene of the disaster, she had blurted out a single question to Liversidge: “Has this got anything to do with my money?” and he had answered: “For God’s sake don’t be a bloody little fool. Keep quiet about your money.” Then he had kept her back and had said hurriedly that for Courtney Broadhead’s sake she had better not mention the theft. “I’d never thought of Court until then,” said Miss Gaynes, “but after that I got all muddled and of course I remembered how hard-up Court was and then I began to wonder. And now—now I—I simply don’t know where I am, honestly I don’t. If Frankie was trying to help Court and I’ve—I’ve betrayed him—”

“Nonsense,” said Alleyn very crisply. “There’s no question of betrayal. You have done the only possible thing. Tell me, please, Miss Gaynes, are you engaged to Mr. Liversidge?”

She flushed at that and for the first time showed a little honest indignation.

“You’ve no business to ask me that.”

“I can assure you I am not prompted by idle curiosity,” said Alleyn equitably. “The question is relevant. I still ask it.”

“Very well, then, I’m not actually engaged.’

“There is an understanding of some sort, perhaps?’

“I simply haven’t made up my mind.” A trace of complacency crept into her voice. Alleyn thought: “She is the type of young woman who always represents herself as a fugitive before the eager male. She would never admit lack of drawing-power in herself.”

“But now—” she was saying, “I wish we had never thought of it. I want to get away from all this. It’s all so hateful—I want to get away from it. I’m going to cable to Daddy and ask him to send for me. I want to go home.”

“As a preliminary step,” said Alleyn cheerfully, “I am going to send you off to your hotel. You are tired and distressed. Things won’t seem so bad in the morning, you know. Good night.”

He shut the door after her and turned to the two New Zealanders.

“Silly young woman,” said Alleyn mildly.

But Wade was greatly excited.

“I reckon this changes the whole outfit,” he said loudly. “I reckon it does. If Liversidge stole the cash, it changes the whole show. By crikey, sir, you caught them out nicely. By crikey, it was a corker! He tells you one story about this conversation with the girl Gaynes, and you get the other tale from her and then face her up with it. By gee, it was a beauty!”

“My dear Inspector,” said Alleyn uncomfortably, “you are giving me far too much encouragement.”