“DEAR JOHN RHODE,
“You do indeed know how to take a hint! This is a superb Problem, with all the recognised ingredients—save only our old friend the “blunt instrument,” of which I should have reminded you.
“Yet I am not much farther forward, for I cannot imagine what the solution of your problem can be. However, there is, as you have shown, a friendly readiness amongst the members of the Detection Club to help the weaker brethren, so I have written to one or two of our friends to ask them to tell me what, in the opinion of their Sleuths, the solution is.
“By the way, my earlier letter to you rather suggested that I had thought of the title ‘Ask a Policeman.’ Actually, Arthur Barker suggested it to me, but an author is naturally reluctant to give any credit to a publisher.
“Yours ever,
“MILWARD KENNEDY.”
“P.S.—I find that I have made an awkward blunder. By a clerical error I have mixed up the sleuths. I have asked Dorothy L. Sayers for Mr. Sheringham’s views, Anthony Berkeley for Lord Peter’s; I have applied to Helen Simpson for Mrs. Bradley’s aid, and to Gladys Mitchell for Sir John’s. Never mind; let us see what happens.”