Then he went out to spend the evening with Lefarge.
When some time later the two friends met, Lefarge said:--
‘I saw the Chief, and he’s not very satisfied with the way things are going. None of those women have done anything with the clothes. He’s got a notion we ought to advertise and he wants us to go there at nine to-night and talk it over.’
Accordingly, at the hour named, they presented themselves at the office in the Sûreté.
‘Sit down, gentlemen,’ began the Chief. ‘I wanted to consult with you about this case. In our efforts to identify the dead woman, which we agreed was our first essential, we have unfortunately had no success. Our three women have done exceedingly well as far as covering ground goes, but they have had no luck. You, gentlemen, have found out some important facts, but they have not led in this particular direction. Now, I am inclined to think we ought to advertise and I’d like to hear your views.’
‘What particular advertisements do you suggest, sir?’ asked Burnley.
‘For everything. Advertise, in each case with 100 francs reward, for information about the dress, the underclothes if singular in any way, the rings, the comb, and the body itself.’
There was silence for a few moments, and then Burnley replied hesitatingly:--
‘We have a bit of prejudice at Scotland Yard about advertising except in special cases. I think the idea is that it puts people on their guard who might otherwise give themselves away. But in this case it would probably be the quickest way to a result.’
‘To me it would seem,’ said Lefarge, ‘that even if there was a band of persons anxious to hush this murder up, there would also be enough outside that band to answer every one of the advertisements.’
‘That is rather my view,’ agreed the Chief. ‘Take the servants, for example. A woman wearing such clothes is certain to have lived in a house with several servants. Some one of them is bound to read the advertisement and recognise the description. If he or she intends to try for the reward we get the information, if not, he will certainly show the paper to the others, one of whom is almost certain to come. The same thing applies to shop assistants, none of whom could conceivably wish to keep the thing a secret. Yes, I think we’ll try it. Will you draft out some forms, something like this, I should imagine. “One hundred francs reward will be paid for information leading to the identification of the body of a lady, believed to have died about the 30th March”--say “died,” of course, not “was murdered”--then the description, and “Apply at any Police Station.” The others would be for information leading to the identification of the purchaser of the various clothes.’