He took them straight up into the same room, and the same official whom they had previously seen, and who now sat at his desk with Celia Lennard on one side of him, and a middle-aged woman, evidently of the poorer classes, on the other.  Allerdyke and Fullaway, after a brief interchange of salutations with the official and the prima donna, looked at the stranger—­a quiet, respectably-dressed woman who united a natural shyness with an evident determination to go through with the business that had brought her there.  She was just the sort of woman who can be seen by the hundred—­laundress, seamstress, charwoman, caretaker, got up in her Sunday best.  Odd, indeed, it would be, thought Allerdyke, if this quiet, humble-looking creature should give information which would place fifty thousand pounds at her command!

“This is Mrs. Perrigo,” said the chief pleasantly, as he motioned the two men to chairs near Celia’s and beckoned Blindway to his side.  “Mrs. Perrigo, of—­where is it, ma’am?”

“I live in Alpha Place, off Park Street, sir,” announced Mrs. Perrigo, in a small, quiet voice.  “Number 14, sir.  I’m a clear-starcher by trade, sir.”

“Put that down, Blindway,” said the chief, “and take a note of what Mrs. Perrigo tells us.  Now, Mrs. Perrigo, you think you’ve seen the dead woman, Lisette Beaurepaire, at some time or another, in company with a young man?  Where and when was this?”

“Well, three times, sir.  Three times that I’m certain of—­there was another time that I wasn’t certain about; at least, that I’m not certain about now.  If I could just tell you about it in my way, sir—­”

“Certainly—­certainly, Mrs. Perrigo!  Exactly what I wish.  Tell us all about it in your own way.  Take your own time.”

“Well, sir, it ’ud be, as near as I can fix it, about the middle of March—­two months ago, sir,” began Mrs. Perrigo.  “You see, I had the misfortune to burn my right hand very badly, sir, and having to put my work aside, and it being nice weather, and warm for the time of year, I used to go and sit in Kensington Gardens a good deal, which, of course, was when I see this young lady whose picture’s been in the paper of late, and—­”

“A moment, Mrs. Perrigo,” interrupted the official.  “Miss Lennard, it will simplify matters considerably if I ask you a question.  Were you and your late maid in town about the time Mrs. Perrigo speaks of—­the middle of March?”

“Yes,” replied Celia promptly.  “We were here from March 3rd, when we came back from the Continent, to March 29th, when we left for Russia.”

“Continue, Mrs. Perrigo, if you please,” said the official.  “Take your time—­tell things your own way.”