Page:The Rejuvenation Of Miss Semaphore.pdf/161

 connection with baby farming cases, and he looked on this Plummer's Cottages business as one of the worst transactions of the kind, he had ever come across. Sal Brown he considered less guilty than the wicked and unnatural parents who had delivered over their offsprings to her. What he inwardly designated the "crocodile tears" of Prudence did not move him a whit, and he surveyed her with manifest disfavour. She might of course be a dupe, but he inclined to believe her a criminal.

"Do you say that the child in question is your sister?"

"Yes."

"But did you not tell the constable just now that you were her mother?"

"Oh dear no! He misunderstood me. I only said I had come to enquire about a child."

"But you must be aware that all the children found at the woman's house were extremely young—infants in fact. None of them were over two years of age."

"My sister is"—Prudence hesitated—"extremely young."

"Well," said the Inspector doubtfully, "of course I cannot compel you to speak