Barrymore, after all, whom we had seen in the cab in Regent
Street, with his black beard.
While Sir Henry examined his papers, I walked four miles along the
edge of the moor to the small grey hamlet of Grimpen, to ask the
postmaster, who was also the village grocer, whether the test telegram
from London had really been placed in Barrymore's own hands. He
confirmed that his son James had delivered it, but James said he had
given it to Mrs. Barrymore because she said her husband was up in the
loft. The boy had not seen Mr. Barrymore. In spite of Holme's ruse,
therefore, we had no proof that Barrymore had not been in London all the
time.
I walked back along the lonely road to the Hall, wondering what schemes
the Barrymores might have and what were the real explanations
