Pagina 568 de 657

"Yes, and she was the girl who waited in the drawing-room, and

who may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet."

"I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell her

sweetheart, and that the two may have planned the robbery."

"But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the

banker impatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur with

the coronet in his hands?"

"Wait a little, Mr. Holder. We must come back to that. About this

girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I

presume?"

"Yes; when I went to see if the door was fastened for the night I

met her slipping in. I saw the man, too, in the gloom."

"Do you know him?"

"Oh, yes! he is the greengrocer who brings our vegetables round.

His name is Francis Prosper."

"He stood," said Holmes, "to the left of the door-that is to say,

farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?"

"Yes, he did."

"And he is a man with a wooden leg?"