Roger was unperturbed. “Yes,” he said thoughtfully, “I had an idea it would be a bit of a shock to you. But to tell you the truth I was a bit suspicious about this suicide business almost from the very first. I couldn’t get over the place of the wound, you know. And then all the rest of it, windows and door and confession and what not—well, instead of reassuring me, they made me more suspicious still. I couldn’t help feeling more and more that it was a case of _Qui s’excuse, s’accuse_. Or to put it in another way, that the whole scene looked like a stage very carefully arranged for the second act after all the débris of the first act had been cleared away. Foolish of me, no doubt, but that’s what I felt.” Alec snorted. “Foolish! That’s putting it mildly.” “Don’t be so harsh with me, Alec,” Roger pleaded. “I think I’m being rather brilliant.” “You always were a chap to let things run away with you,” Alec grunted. “Just because a couple of people act a little queerly and a couple more don’t look as mournful as you think they ought, you dash off and rake up a little murder all to yourself. Going to tell the inspector about this wonderful idea of yours?” “No, I’m not,” said Roger with decision. “This is my little murder, as you’re good enough to call it, and I’m not going to be done out of it. When I’ve got as far as I can, then I’ll think about telling the police or not.” “Well, thank goodness you’re not going to make a fool of yourself to that extent,” said Alec with relief. “You wait, Alexander,” Roger admonished. “You may make a mock of me now, if you like——” “Thanks!” Alec put in gratefully. “—but if my luck holds, I’m going to make you sit up and take notice.” “Then perhaps you’ll begin by explaining how this excellent murderer of yours managed to get away from the room and leave everything locked on the inside behind him,” said Alec sarcastically. “He didn’t happen to be a magician in a small way, did he? Then you could let him out through the key-hole, you know.” Roger shook his head sadly. “My dear but simple-minded Alexander, I can give you a perfectly reasonable explanation of how that murder might have been committed last night, and yet leave all these doors and windows of yours securely fastened on the inside this morning.” “Oh, you can, can you?” said Alec derisively. “Well, let’s have it.” “Certainly. The murderer was still inside when we broke in, concealed somewhere where nobody thought of looking.” Alec started. “Good Lord!” he exclaimed. “Of course we never searched the place. So you think he was really there the whole time?” “On the contrary,” Roger smiled gently, “I know he wasn’t, for the simple reason that there was no place for him to hide in. But you asked for an explanation, and I gave you one.” Alec snorted again, but with rather less confidence this time. Roger’s glib smoothing away of the impossible had been a little unexpected. He tried a new tack.