“Questions, yes, but——” “Just one more and I think I have finished,” interposed Humblethorne gently. “Birts tells me you asked if the body couldn’t be moved. That’s not a very usual request; d’you mind telling me why you made it?” “Certainly. I felt that it was too ghastly an object to leave lying at the foot of the main staircase a moment longer than was necessary. I hoped that the ladies would remain upstairs, as in fact they did, but they might want to come down any time later, and I saw no reason after Birts and the doctor had made their examinations why the risk should be run. I couldn’t have done it, naturally, without Birts’s permission; as he gave it, well, wring what significance you can out of it.” After saying which, Castle looked straight at Humblethorne and left the hall. “Well!” said Birts, who did not at all like the trend of the conversation. “I have known Mr. Castle for over ten years, but I’ve certainly never known him speak like that.” “You probably have never known him in quite these circumstances,” remarked Humblethorne drily, ringing the bell. “No more I have!” exclaimed Birts, as if embracing a quite new idea. “Ah, Fairlie,” said Humblethorne, when the butler quietly appeared, “there are one or two things I want to ask you. Just give me, if you will, your version of what took place.” “That is easily done,” replied Fairlie. “Sir Roger seemed quite as usual last night, both at dinner and when I took him in the tray about twenty minutes past ten.” “Was he a heavy drinker?” “Heavy but not excessive,” replied Fairlie solemnly. “I’ve not often known him the worse for liquor, but he was fond of wine. Still he wasn’t a drinker between meals, only now and again he would have a whisky or two if he was going to sit up. He only wanted soda last night, though, because he was threatened with his gout, I expect. He was at work with Mr. Castle when I went in, and he did not ring or require anything again. I locked up as usual, saw that everything was all right and went to bed.” “What time was that?” “Well, let me see; I locked up and put the lights out about a quarter to eleven, I should say. The ladies had all gone up then, and Sir Roger used to go on at me for leaving lights burning when they weren’t wanted, so even if he did happen to be working late I didn’t leave them on. I waited up a little in case he should ring for anything, and got to bed about twelve.” “And you didn’t hear a sound between locking up and going to bed?” Fairlie thought for a moment. “No, nothing,” he said. “I was doing the silver and I shouldn’t have heard anything in the hall short of a revolver going off.” “You are positive the fastenings of the doors and windows were all right?” “They were when I went round. We have a good deal of silver and one thing and another, and it is not a duty I could leave to any one else.” He spoke with dignity and decision. “And then what was the next thing you heard?”