“I am not sure,” replied Anthony with his hand on Stewart’s shoulder, “yet! Time is precious,” he continued, “we’re moving at last. Who can give me a more detailed description of this screen that was kept here—I am anxious to know more about it? Can you, Mr. Llewellyn?” Llewellyn hesitated. But Peter was unable to decide what it was that was passing through his mind. He seemed to be considering something, but nevertheless gave no apparent hint of embarrassment or agitation. Then his answer came, but it was not quite in the form that Peter had anticipated. “I’m afraid I can’t help you, Mr. Bathurst. I certainly remember the screen, as I said just now. It was of some kind of beaten metal-work and about the size stated in the catalogue. When I compiled the catalogue I had some notes of Mr. Stewart’s to assist me in my classification—I remember I used his own description wherever possible, when it came to making up my own list. There were some objects in the collection that I was forced to raise certain questions about through lack of information in the notes, but this screen wasn’t one of those. Mr. Stewart himself, I may add, approved the description in the catalogue in every instance.” Anthony had followed him very carefully as he furnished this explanation. “Did Mr. Stewart mention the matter of this screen to you in connection with his projected purchase of the other one?” Llewellyn shook his head vigorously. “Never!” was his emphatic reply. “I knew that he was adding to his collection, but he never referred in any way to this screen that he already had in his possession. I’m absolutely sure on the point.” “Forgive me, Mr. Llewellyn, if I appear insistent, but I’ve understood since I’ve been here that you were a very zealous assistant to Mr. Stewart in this particular branch of his work. Is that true?” Here Goodall intervened abruptly. “Yes, Mr. Llewellyn, how was it, if you were so intimate with Mr. Stewart in all his collecting work, that he didn’t mention the fact of these two screens to you?” But Llewellyn was not to be so easily shaken. “Without appearing to be disrespectful, I would suggest that Mr. Stewart would have been in a better position to answer that than I, Inspector,” he replied smoothly. Goodall flushed, but Llewellyn went on. “All I can say is that he _didn’t_ mention them.” Then Anthony countered with another question. “Had Mr. Stewart confided in you at any time—before—had he discussed similar purchases on previous occasions?” “Many times,” responded Llewellyn with absolute candor. “Can you then account for a seeming lack of confidence on his part in this instance?”