“Of course,” said Alec promptly and hurried off, only too glad of the opportunity for a little action. He had not yet quite got over that first sight of the dead man in the streaming sunshine. Roger walked slowly across to the dining-room door; but he was not pondering over what he was going to say. He was repeating to himself over and over again, “Why was Jefferson so infernally anxious to get rid of the four of us in such a hurry? Why? Why? Why?” With his hand on the very knob of the door a possible answer came to him, in the form of another question. “Why was Jefferson so reluctant to admit that the body must not be touched before the arrival of the police?” It was a somewhat distrait Roger who opened the dining-room door, and proceeded to acquaint three astounded ladies with the somewhat surprising fact that their host had just shot himself through the head. Their reception of his news did not speak very well for Roger’s tactfulness. It may have been that his preoccupation with what was in his mind prevented him from doing justice to himself; but the fact remains that even he was considerably startled by the way in which his hearers behaved, and it took a good deal to startle Roger. Mrs. Shannon, it is true, merely remarked with a not unjustified annoyance that it was really exceedingly awkward as she had made all her arrangements for being here another ten days and now she supposed they would have to leave at once, and where on earth did anyone think they could go to with the house in town shut up and all the servants away? Barbara rose slowly to her feet, with every trace of colour drained out of her face, swayed a little and, sitting down abruptly, stared with unseeing eyes out into the sunlit garden. Mrs. Plant incontinently and silently fainted. But Roger had other things to do than dancing attendance upon fainting and hysterical ladies. Leaving Mrs. Plant somewhat unceremoniously to the ministrations of Barbara and her mother, he hurried back to the library, taking care to step lightly. The sight that met his eyes was exactly what he had expected. Major Jefferson was bending over the dead man, rapidly and methodically searching his pockets. “Hullo,” Roger remarked easily from the doorway. “Putting him straight a bit?” The Major started violently. Then he bit his lip and slowly straightened his back. “Yes,” he said slowly, after the least possible pause. “Yes. I can’t bear to see this constrained attitude he’s in.” “It’s beastly,” Roger said sympathetically, advancing unconcernedly into the room and shutting the door behind him. “I know. But I shouldn’t move him if I were you. Not till the police have seen him, at any rate. They’re rather particular about that sort of thing, I believe.” Jefferson shrugged his shoulders, frowning. “It seems damned nonsense to me,” he said bluntly. “Look here,” Roger remarked suddenly, “you mustn’t let this thing get on your nerves, you know. Come and take a turn in the garden with me.”