“H’m,” grunted Bannister, “you’re sure she kept nothing valuable in any of these drawers?” “I’m quite sure—although———” “Although what?” “Well, she was in the habit of keeping that small drawer on the right there always locked. I’ve often noticed that.” She pointed to the drawer she mentioned. “Why?” ventured Anthony, “do you know?” “I am sure that she kept nothing that you could call _valuable_—there—in the real sense of the word—that is——” She hesitated again. “I think that she just kept private things in there. Things that she considered valuable, let us say—but that nobody else would.” Anthony nodded. “And I think I agree with you, Miss Kerr. I think it extremely likely that she would do so.” “Another point,” Bannister cut in, “when you went home to Otterton for your holiday the other day—were you aware then that Miss Delaney was intending to go to Seabourne?” “No. I knew she intended going away _somewhere_—as my card showed you—but I didn’t know to what particular part of the world she was going. I understood when I left her here, that she didn’t know for certain, herself—that she hadn’t made up her mind. She was always inclined to leave holidays till the last minute.” “Had Seabourne been mentioned between you?” persisted Bannister. “To my knowledge,” she answered, “never—that is to say in connection with this last holiday of Miss Sheila’s.” “Now think, Miss Kerr,” exclaimed the Inspector, still quietly persistent, “has anything at all unusual or abnormal happened here, lately?” “How do you mean?” she returned. “In any way,” he reiterated, “in the country one day is very like another—full up with the ‘trivial round and common task’—has _anything_ happened recently to disturb this? Has anything occurred that you could call unusual?” She thought. “All I can think of was the Indian’s visit about a month ago,” she declared. “The Indian!” cried Bannister, “what Indian?” “I think his name was Lal Singh or something like that. He called here one afternoon to see Colonel Delaney. He had been the Colonel’s body-servant years ago in India and said he didn’t know that the Colonel was dead. He was a big—tall man—getting well on in years—Miss Sheila interviewed him here and I fancy helped him financially. I was glad to see the back of him—he rather frightened me. He asked after Major Carruthers and also Sir Matthew Fullgarney. He had known them as well, when they were with the Colonel in India. I think that Miss Sheila thought he intended to call upon Sir Matthew from what she told me he said to her. I don’t know whether he actually did.” “Strange thing him turning up,” observed Bannister musingly, “did you see him again at all?” “No,” replied “Pinkie,” “I haven’t ever seen him since.”