I saw his point. Then I broached a matter over which I had felt very curious.
"You told me this morning, after we had been first called to the billiard room that you had three distinct clues--two I think you said, in Group A and one in Group B. What were they?"
"Hasten slowly, William. Hasten slowly. I'll meet you half-way. The clue in Group B was my little triumph that resulted in the discomfiture of Mademoiselle Marshall."
"And the other two?" I persisted eagerly.
"The other two, Bill, are now three. But I haven't developed them properly yet. There's a missing link, somewhere, and until I get it, I'm floundering a bit. What do you make of Marshall?"
"Well," I answered doubtfully--"I think she's afraid of something."
"I'm curious about Marshall--she knows something she hasn't divulged--why did she open that window? Tell me that."
"What? Acting under instructions? Open the window--then scream?" He shook his head. "Don't think so--somehow."
"Do you know, Bill" ... he went on, "Senorita Marshall's face haunts me rather. I can't get away from it."
"Love at first sight," I chaffed. "All good detectives do it ... think of Irene Adler."
"No--not that, Bill. Not in that way. It's a different feeling altogether. I can't forget it ... because I can't place it.... I seem to have seen it before somehow. The question is _where_?"
"The Eton and Harrow match at Lords'," I suggested sarcastically.
"Don't be an ass. Lords'! I keep conjuring up a photograph--Lords'! Don't suppose she's ever heard of Lords' ... let alone ever been there. ... Holy Smoke, Bill, I've got it!!! And by a miracle of miracles, your mention of Lords' gave it to me. Great Scott! What a bit of luck."
Now this was the manner of Mr. Bathurst's memory.
"Sometimes! Always when I'm here--Sir Charles Considine has taken it since it started!"
"He has? Better and better, laddie. I'm on the crest of the wave. Listen! This is what I've remembered. Do you remember the second Test Match of the Australian tour in 1921? At Lords'."
"What are you getting at?" I said rather peevishly. "Are you trying to prove that it rained or something--you know it always rains for Test Matches."
"No--I'm deadly serious. The Australians won easily--but that isn't the point--the last ball bowled--by Durston it was, flew out of his hand and went somewhere in the region of 'cover.' Before the umpire called 'wide' Bardsley, who was batting at the time, chased after it, got to it, and promptly 'despatched it to the boundary' as the reporters said. I remember the incident perfectly now." He smiled with satisfaction.