Mr. Flexen laughed and said: "You're prejudiced. It's about time to dress for dinner." Mr. Carrington rose with alacrity and said anxiously, "I hope to goodness Loudwater didn't quarrel with his chef!" "I've no reason to think so. The food's excellent," said Mr. Flexen. Mr. Manley joined them at dinner, wearing his best air of a discreet and indulgent man of the world, and confident of making himself valued. He was in very good spirits, for he had persuaded Helena to marry him that day month, and was rejoicing in his success. He did not tell Mr. Flexen, or Mr. Carrington, of his good fortune. He felt that it would hardly interest them, since neither of them knew Helena or was intimate with himself. But, inspired by this success, he took the lead in the conversation, and showed himself inclined to be somewhat patronizing to two men outside the sphere of imaginative literature. It was Mr. Flexen who broached the subject of the murder. After they had talked of the usual topics for a while, he said: "By the way, Manley, did you hear Lord Loudwater snore after Hutchings went into the library, or before?" "So you know that I saw Hutchings in the hall that night?" said Mr. Manley. "It's wonderful how you find things out. I didn't tell you, and I should have thought that I was the only person awake in the front part of the Castle. I suppose that some one saw him getting his cigarettes from the butler's pantry." "So that was the reason he gave you for being in the Castle," said Mr. Flexen. "Well, was it after or before you spoke to him that you heard Lord Loudwater snore?" Mr. Manley hesitated, thinking; then he said: "I can't remember at the moment. You see, I was downstairs some little time. I found an evening paper in the dining-room and looked through it there. I might have heard him from there." "You can't remember?" said Mr. Flexen in a tone of disappointment. "Not at the moment," said Mr. Manley. "Is it important?" "Yes; very important. It would probably help me to fix the time of Lord Loudwater's death." "I see. A lot may turn on that," said Mr. Manley thoughtfully. "Yes. You can see how immensely it helps to have a fact like that fixed," said Mr. Flexen. "Yes: of course," said Mr. Manley. "Well, I must try to remember. I daresay I shall, if I keep the fact in my mind gently, and do not try to wrench the recollection out of it. You know how hard it is to remember a thing, if it hasn't caught your attention fairly when it happened." "Yes," said Mr. Flexen. "But I hope to goodness you'll remember it quickly. It may be of the greatest use to me." "Ah, yes; I must," said Mr. Manley, giving him a queer look.