"I'm doing what I can." replied Ferris. "I have interviewed the coroner and the parson. I tried to have a word with the brother of the first victim, but... but..."
"It was he who had the word, I think," said the Chief Inspector pleasantly.
"There is some talk of a servant girl having seen the murderer," continued Ferris.
The Chief Inspector assumed a blank official air.
"Yes," he said, "you made some reference to her in your message this morning."
"It was Richards of the Advertiser got hold of that story. He had it from the cook."
"And he had it wrong," said the Chief Inspector. "You might emphasise in your next that in a case like this there are always numbers of people who see the murderer. Unfortunately, they seldom agree. John Masters informed us that he was of medium height and
