“If you please,” he said, “I want a copy of the certificate of baptism of Madeline Best who was christened here on the ninth of July, three years ago.”
The church register was produced and the date soon found. Then both the clergyman and Mason looked puzzled for there was no record of the name of Best.
A short silence followed and then the clergyman asked sharply, “But have you got the right surname?” He pointed with his finger to one of the entries in the book. “That must be the child you want. The Christian name, Madeline, is a very unusual one. See, the parents were Paul Edward and Jean Madeline Wensworthy, with the Paul Wensworthy deceased.”
For a few moments Mason was so non-plussed that he did not know what to say. Then he exclaimed with an effort, “Of course, of course, I was for
