"Yes, never mind about that!" said the Sergeant hastily. "What did you do then?"

"I called out to him to stop, but he paid no heed, and the next instant had rounded the corner into the Arden Road. That circumstance led me to inspect these premises. I found the garden-gate standing open, and, seeing the light from this window, I came up the path with the intention. of discovering whether anything was wrong. I saw the deceased, like you found him, Sergeant. The time, as verified by my watch and the clock there, was 10.05 p.m. My first action was to ascertain that Mr. Fletcher was dead. Having assured myself that he was past mortal help, I effected a search of the room, and made sure no one was hiding in the bushes in the garden. I then called up the station on the telephone, the time being 10.10 p.m. While I was waiting to be connected, the butler, Joseph Simmons, entered the room, bearing the tray you see upon that table. I detained him, for interrogation. He states that at about 9 p.m. a person of the name of Abraham Budd came to see the deceased. He ushered same into this room. He states that he does not know when Abraham Budd left the house."

"Description?"

"I hadn't got to that, sir. Mr. Neville Fletcher came in at that moment. He states that he saw the deceased last at about 8.50 p.m., when they left the dining-room together."

"All right; we'll see him in a minute. Anything else?"

"Nothing that I saw," replied Glass, after a moment's scrupulous thought.

"We'll look around. Looks like an open-and-shut case against this man you saw making off. Friend Abraham Budd, eh?"

"Not to my way of thinking, Sergeant," said Glass.

The Sergeant stared. "Oh, it isn't, isn't it? Why not? The Lord been guiding you again?"