"And the ladies?"

"Mrs. Lorrimer went over to the fire once. Poked it I think. I rather fancy she spoke to Shaitana, but I don't know. I was playing a rather tricky no trump at the time."

"And Miss Meredith?"

"She certainly left the table once. Came round and looked at my hand – I was her partner at the time. Then she looked at the other people's hands and then she wandered round the room. I don't know what she was doing exactly. I wasn't paying attention."

Superintendent Battle said thoughtfully, "As you were sitting at the bridge table, no one's chair was directly facing the fireplace?"

"No, sort of sideways on and there was a big cabinet between – Chinese piece, very handsome. I can see, of course, that it would be perfectly possible to stab the old boy. After all when you're playing bridge, you're playing bridge. You're not looking round you and noticing what is going on. The only person who's likely to be doing that is dummy. And in this case -"

"In this case, undoubtedly dummy was the murderer" said Superintendent Battle.

"All the same," said Doctor Roberts, "it wanted nerve you know! After all, who is to say that somebody won't look up just at the critical moment?"

"Yes," said Battle. "It was a big risk. The motive must have been a strong one. I wish we knew what it was," he added with unblushing mendacity.

"You'll find out, I expect," said Roberts. "You'll go through his papers and all that sort of thing. There will probably be a clue."

"We'll hope so," said Superintendent Battle gloomily. He shot a keen glance at the other.

"I wonder if you'd oblige me, Doctor Roberts, by giving me a personal opinion – as man to man."

"Certainly."

"Which do you fancy yourself of the three?"

Doctor Roberts shrugged his shoulders.