Detective and mystery stories; French, Joseph (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Police -- Great Britain -- Fiction
There were two dozen or more photographs of groups of passengers, taken
on board the liner. Mrs. Root began with systematic precision to go
through them. As she pointed to each individual she repeated to the
Inspector what she knew about her.
“Mrs. Jelfs—guess she wouldn’t do—too fat. Miss—Miss——I just don’t
recall that young woman’s name. But she’s too tall anyway; half a head
taller’n me. Next is Haidee Squance, daughter of Old Man Squance of
Consolidated Oil. I’ve known her since I’ve known anything. Then this
one is—say now, who is this one? I’ve got it; a little girl called
Dinsmore: Irish, I think. She’s no good either—eyes of the lightest
blue I ever saw. Next is Mrs. Purce,” and so on for five-and-twenty
minutes by the electric clock on the mantelpiece.
French was highly delighted with the efficient way in which his hostess
had tackled the job, but when all was said and done the result was
disappointingly small. Eight persons in the photographs had been marked
as possibles, of whom Mrs. Root remembered the names of five. Of these
five, one, a Mrs. Ward, whom Mrs. Root had met for the first time on
board, seemed the most likely for several reasons. She was about Mrs.
Root’s height, though stouter, had, Mrs. Root believed, light brown
eyes, and had been friendly, and, Mrs. Root now remembered, just a
trifle inquisitive. But she was ruled out by her nationality. That she
really was English, as she claimed, Mrs. Root had no doubt whatever.
French showed her the cheques, but she could not recall ever having seen
the handwriting in which they were filled out.
But she did give him one hint that he felt might prove valuable. She
said that the stewardess who had looked after her cabin was a peculiarly
intelligent and observant woman. Mrs. Root had been surprised on
different occasions by the intimate knowledge of herself and her fellow
travellers which this stewardess exhibited. She did not exactly accuse
her of spying, but she thought she would be more likely to answer
French’s inquiries than any one else he could find. She did not remember
the woman’s name, but she was rather striking-looking, with dark eyes, a
young face, and perfectly white hair, and he would have no difficulty in
identifying her.
Mrs. Root was extremely interested in the whole affair, and begged the
Inspector to keep her posted as to developments. This he promised to do,
as he took his leave.
He had now more reason than ever for visiting Southampton when the
_Olympic_ was next in, and he set out on the following morning on his
return journey, reaching London on the Tuesday afternoon.
At the Yard he found that three more of the transactions of the
mysterious lady had come to light, but unfortunately in each case
without supplying any clue which might lead to her identification. These
discoveries accounted for some £1200 worth of the jewellery Mrs. X had
bought, and for this she had received £1090, making a loss on the
transaction of only about nine per cent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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