human
But if she is not Priscilla Prentice, who on earth can she be? She can't be Anita Wilmersley!
gpt
Of course not. She--she--
human
And yet, if she is not the sempstress, she must be Anita!
gpt
Why?
human
Because of the jewels in her bag.
gpt
I don't believe they are the Wilmersley jewels----
human
There is no doubt as to that. I have the list somewhere and you can easily verify it.
gpt
Then the bag is not hers. It may have been left in the seat by some one else.
human
She opened it in my presence.
gpt
But you proved to me last night that she could not be Lady Wilmersley,
human
So I did. Anita has masses of bright, yellow hair. This girl's hair is dark.
gpt
Well, then----
human
There seems no possible explanation to the enigma,
gpt
Perhaps she wore a wig.
human
She did not. When she fainted I loosened her veil and a strand of her hair caught in my fingers. It was her own, I can swear to that.
gpt
She may have dyed it.
human
I never thought of that, exclaimed Cyril.
gpt
No, I don't think she could have had time to dye it. It takes hours, I believe. At nine, when she was last seen, she had made no attempt to alter her appearance. Now Wilmersley was----
human
Hold on, cried Guy.
gpt
You told me, did you not, that she had cut off her hair because it had turned white?
human
Yes,
gpt
Very well, then, that disposes of the possibility of its having been dyed.
human
So it does. And yet, she carried the Wilmersley jewels, that is a fact we must not forget.
gpt
Then she must be a hitherto unsuspected factor in the case.
human
Possibly, and yet---
gpt
Yet what?
human
I confess I have no other solution to offer. Oh, by the way, what is the number of her room?
gpt
I don't think I remember it.
human
How annoying! I particularly asked you to make a note of it!
gpt
Oh, did you?
human
Of course I did. You must realise--in fact we discussed it together--that I must be able to see her.
gpt
As there is nothing that you can do for her, why should you compromise her still further?
human
What do you mean?
gpt
I mean that you ought not to take further advantage of her peculiar affliction so as to play the part of a devoted husband.
human
This is outrageous--
gpt
While you fancied that she was in need of your assistance, I grant that there was some excuse for your conduct, but to continue the farce any longer would be positively dishonourable.