Nevertheless, the footsteps came nearer. By and by, through the trees, came the occasional flash of an electric torch. Robert turned towards the house but Tallente gripped him by the arm. "Stop here," he muttered. "We couldn't get away. Any one would hear our footsteps along this flinty path. Besides, there is the rope." "It's someone else searching!" Robert whispered hoarsely. The light grew nearer and nearer. A little way below, the path branched to the right and the left. To the left it encircled the tennis lawn and led to the Manor or back to the road. The path to the right led to the little lookout upon which the two men were standing. The footsteps for a moment hesitated. Then the light flashed out and approached. Whoever the intruder might be, he was making his way directly towards them. Tallente shrugged his shoulders. "We must see this through, Robert," he said. "We were in a tighter corner at Ypres, remember. Keep as quiet as you can. Now, then." Tallente flashed on his own torch. "Who's there?" he asked sternly. There was no answer. The torch for a moment remained stationary, then it began again to advance. "What are you doing in my grounds?" Tallente demanded. "Who are you?" A shape loomed into distinctness. A bulky man in dark clothes came into sight. "I am Gillian--Inspector Gillian. What are you doing out here, Mr. Tallente?" Tallente laughed a little scornfully. "It seems to me that the boot is on the other leg," he said. "I should like to know what the mischief you mean by wandering around my grounds at this hour of the night without my permission?" The inspector completed his climb and stood in the little circle of light. He took note of the rope and of Tallente's condition. "My presence here, sir," the inspector announced, "is connected with the disappearance of the Honourable Anthony Palliser." "Confidence for confidence," Tallente replied. "So is mine." The inspector moved to the palisading. The top rail had been broken, as though it had given under the weight of some heavy body. He held up the loose fragment, glanced downwards into the dark gulf and back again to Tallente. "You've been over there," he said. "I have," Tallente admitted. "I've made a search that I don't fancy you'd have tackled yourself. I've been down the cliff to the beach." "What reason had you for supposing that you might discover Mr. Palliser's body there?" the other asked bluntly. Tallente sat on the stone seat and lit a cigarette. "I will take you into my confidence, Mr. Inspector," he said. "This afternoon I strolled round here with a lady caller, just before you came, and I fancied that I heard a faint cry. I took no notice of it at the time, but to-night, after dinner, I wandered out here again, and again I fancied I heard it. It got on my nerves to such an extent that I fetched Robert here, a coil of rope, put on some shoes with spikes and tried to remember that I was an Alpine climber."