Captain Willoughby was in and Bannister reflected how strange it was that Willoughby had been talking to him on the very evening that Godfrey had so unexpectedly brought the problem to him. Now it had fallen to his duty to see Willoughby and examine him in the clearing-up of the affair. “One never knows,” muttered Bannister to himself, “even one’s next-door neighbour.” Willoughby received them in his own room. He had stayed at the “Cassandra” so many times that he had come to regard one particular room as his own. “Well, Inspector”—he greeted the two men with the utmost cordiality—“here we are again, then! What can I do for you this time?” The pallor and anxiety that had marked his face a few mornings before were gone and Captain Willoughby looked at his best. “Quite right,” exclaimed Bannister. “You _can_ do something for me. I am going to ask you an exceedingly delicate question. Think carefully before you answer it.” Willoughby’s paleness returned—Bannister’s remark had obviously “rattled” him. “What is it?” he asked anxiously. “A few days ago you settled your bill here with a couple of five pound notes—is that so? Do you admit it?” “Of course,” muttered Willoughby; “what of it?” “Only this. Those two five pound notes are very interesting indeed to us. Could you go a step further and tell us from where you got them?” Bannister prided himself upon what he considered was his ability to come straight to the point. But Willoughby did not answer. “I’ll go a step further,” continued the Inspector. “The cashier handed you change for a ten-pound note two days after you settled that particular account. Do you remember that? I should also like to know from where you obtained that one.” A look of annoyance flashed across Willoughby’s face. “Look here, Inspector,” he said with a well-defined note of asperity, “I’m well aware that you’re conducting an investigation of a murder-case, and I’ve no doubt from all I hear about you that you’re getting a rough passage. I am also equally aware that I should be prepared to assist you and all that”—he paused and gave Bannister the benefit of a straight look between the eyes—“but I’m damned if I can see why I should be expected to tell you where my own money comes from!” Bannister smiled cynically. “Perhaps I shall be able to stimulate your imagination then. Give me those numbers, Godfrey, that I ’phoned to you from Westhampton.”