‘Certainly, sir. Mr. Haile came early, just before half past seven. He had an appointment with Sir Herbert and he was shown in here. Mr. and Mrs. Considine came next, and then Professor Richardson. They were all asked for a quarter to eight.’

‘And did the Professor come out here?’

‘Oh, no sir. Sir Herbert and Mr. Haile were having their talk. The Professor went into the drawing-room.’

‘Then Sir Herbert was not in the drawing-room when his guests arrived?’

‘No, sir-he was in the study. It was gone eight o’clock before Sir Herbert and Mr. Haile came through.’

‘I see. And when the guests were going away, Mr. and Mrs. Considine went first, didn’t they?’

‘Yes, sir-at half past ten. They gave Miss Whitaker a lift as far as the bus.’

‘Ah, yes-Miss Whitaker. That was arranged beforehand?’

‘No, sir. Miss Whitaker came up to Sir Herbert in the hall. She said she had had a message to say her sister was ill, and she asked Mrs. Considine if she would give her a lift to catch the bus.’

Abbott’s eyebrows rose.

‘You mean that was the first Sir Herbert heard about it?’

‘It would seem so. He didn’t seem very pleased about it. He said suppose he was to say no, and Miss Whitaker said that she would go all the same.’

Inspector Abbott made a mental note to the effect that Miss Whitaker did not appear to be popular with the staff. He said,

‘Oh, he said that. Just how did he say it-angrily?’

Marsham hesitated.

‘It is not very easy to say. Sir Herbert wasn’t one to get heated, sir.’

‘And Miss Whitaker, when she said she would go all the same-how did she sound? Was it said lightly?’

‘Oh, no, sir.’

‘She was angry?’

‘I certainly thought so.’

‘There was no more said?’

‘No, sir.’

‘And she went with Mr. and Mrs. Considine?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Was Professor Richardson in the hall all this time?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘He didn’t go into the study-you’re sure about that?’

‘Quite sure.’

‘How long afterwards did he leave?’

‘As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Considine had driven off.’

‘Then you are quite sure that he wasn’t out here in this room at any time during the evening?’

Question and answer had followed one another rapidly. Marsham had hesitated only once and then very briefly. Now there was a pause. He did not hesitate. He remained silent. Miss Silver’s steady attention became a little more marked. Her fingers were busy, her eyes on Marsham’s face. It remained expressionless.

Frank said sharply.

‘That is what you said, you know.’

‘I beg pardon, sir-you asked whether Professor Richardson came out here before dinner or when the party was breaking up, and I said that he did not. Now you ask whether he was out here at any time during the evening.’

‘Well-was he?’

‘I don’t know, sir.’

‘And just what do you mean by that?’

‘It’s not very easy to say, sir-not in just a few words.’

Frank Abbott, sitting sideways to the writing-table in a negligent attitude, allowed his cool blue eyes to scan the impassive face.

‘Take as many words as you like,’ he said.

Marsham took them.

‘You’ll be aware, sir, that I made a statement to Inspector Newbury. I was asked a good many of the questions that you have asked me, and I answered them to the best of my ability. I was asked when I last saw Sir Herbert alive. I replied that it was just after Lady Dryden, Miss Lila, and Mr. Grey had gone upstairs.’

Abbott nodded.

‘I have the statement here.’

He picked up a paper from the table, turned a page, and read:

‘Sir Herbert came out of the drawing-room and went towards the study. I set the drawing-room to rights and went out to my pantry. At eleven o’clock I made the round of the downstairs rooms to make sure that all the fastenings were secure. When I came to the study I did not go in, because I heard voices. It was Sir Herbert’s habit to sit up late. I thought Mr. Haile might be with him-’

‘Why did you think it might be Mr. Haile?’

‘He was spending the night. I had seen Mr. Grey go upstairs, but not Mr. Haile. I thought he might be continuing his talk with Sir Herbert.’

‘You did not identify his voice?’

‘No, sir.’

‘You know that Mr. Haile says he did go to the study for a drink, but that he only stayed a few minutes and was up in his room before eleven o’clock?’

‘No, sir, I didn’t know that.’

‘It is in Mr. Haile’s statement, and it is corroborated by Mr. Grey, who says he saw Mr. Haile in his room with the door half open as he came back from having a bath, Mr. Haile was in his pyjamas, and it was then eleven o’clock. So it would not have been Mr. Haile whom you heard talking to Sir Herbert in the study after you had locked up.’

‘It would seem not, sir.’

‘In your statement you go on to say that having heard the voices and decided not to go in, you finished your round and went up to bed.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Then where does Professor Richardson come in?’

‘Sir?’

‘Look here, Marsham, you may be getting yourself into an awkward position. You have made a statement-you have answered questions put to you by the police. You could have refused to do so until subpoena’d by the Coroner’s court. What you cannot do and get away with it is to make a false statement.’

‘Sir!’

‘There is such a thing as a lie by implication. I daresay your statement is true as far as it goes. I daresay you passed the door of this room, heard voices, and thought that Mr. Haile was with your master. That is as far as the statement goes. And I’m telling you it doesn’t go far enough, or why didn’t you answer me when I asked you whether you were sure that Professor Richardson had not been out to this room at any time during the evening of the murder? There must have been something that made you hesitate. I am now going to ask you point-blank whether, after standing outside the study door and thinking it was Mr. Haile with Sir Herbert, you heard something that made you change your mind.’

Marsham’s face showed nothing. He said without any noticeable pause,

‘It wasn’t anything I could swear to.’

‘Well, I think you’d better tell me what it was.’

‘I had gone just past the door-’

‘Yes?’

‘Well, sir, I think I should tell you that I did hear something.’

‘What did you hear?’

Marsham said slowly,

‘It wasn’t words, sir. It was-well it was a sound. And it wasn’t the kind of sound I would have expected Mr. Haile to make.’

‘I think you’ll have to tell me what kind of a sound it was.’

Without any change in his expression Marsham blew out his large pale cheeks and emitted a sound that might have been ‘Pah!’ or’Pooh!’

The effect was laughable in the extreme, yet neither of the two who were observing him felt any inclination to laugh. The absurd imitation might very well bring its subject to his death by hanging. Miss Silver had no means of identifying this subject. Frank Abbott had. He had, in fact, not so many hours before been an entertained spectator whilst two ruddy cheeks were distended like balloons in order to expel that contemptuous ‘Pooh!’ or ‘Pah!’ He said quickly,

‘You recognized the sound?’

The contours of Marsham’s face was restored to their usual heavy dignity.

‘I wouldn’t take it on me to swear to it.’

‘I’m not asking you to swear to it. I’m asking you what you thought at the time.’

After a pause he said,

‘I thought it was the Professor.’

Frank gave a brief nod.

‘You stopped for another moment or so by the door?’

‘For no more than a moment, sir.’

‘Hear anything else?’

‘I heard Sir Herbert say something. I don’t know what it was.’

‘Did he sound angry?’

‘I couldn’t say, sir. Sir Herbert had a kind of cold way with him when he was angry. He wouldn’t raise his voice-not to notice.’