Superintendent Battle gave a brief résumé of the events of the night. Sir Oswald frowned thoughtfully. "I understand," he said sharply. "After wounding and disabling Mr. Thesiger, the man took to his heels and ran, throwing away the pistol as he did so. What I cannot understand is why no one pursued him." "It wasn't till we heard Mr. Thesiger's story that we knew there was anyone to pursue," remarked Superintendent Battle dryly. "You didn't--er--catch sight of him making off as you turned the corner of the terrace?" "No, I missed him by just about forty seconds, I should say. There's no moon and he'd be invisible as soon as he'd left the terrace. He must have leapt for it as soon as he'd fired the shot." "H'm," said Sir Oswald. "I still think that a search should have been organized. Someone else should have been posted--" "There are three of my men in the grounds," said the Superintendent quietly. "Oh!" Sir Oswald seemed rather taken aback. "They were to hold and detain any one attempting to leave the grounds." "And yet--they haven't done so?" "And yet they haven't done so," agreed Battle gravely. Sir Oswald looked at him as though something in the words puzzled him. He said sharply: "Are you telling me all that you know, Superintendent Battle?" "All that I _know_--yes, Sir Oswald. What I think is a different matter. Maybe I think some rather curious things--but until thinking's got you somewhere it's no use talking about it." "And yet," said Sir Oswald slowly, "I should like to know what you think, Superintendent Battle." "For one thing, sir, I think there's a lot too much ivy about this place--excuse me, sir, you've got a bit on your coat--yes, a great deal too much ivy. It complicates things." Sir Oswald stared at him, but any reply he might have contemplated making was arrested by the entrance of Rupert Bateman. "Oh, there you are, Sir Oswald. I'm so glad. Lady Coote has just discovered that you were missing--and she has been insisting upon it that you had been murdered by the thieves. I really think, Sir Oswald, that you had better come to her at once. She is terribly upset." "Maria is an incredibly foolish woman," said Sir Oswald. "Why should I be murdered? I'll come with you, Bateman." He left the room with his secretary. "That's a very efficient young man," said Battle, looking after them. "What's his name--Bateman?" Jimmy nodded. "Bateman--Rupert," he said. "Commonly known as Pongo. I was at school with him." "Were you? Now, that's interesting, Mr. Thesiger. What was your opinion of him in those days?" "Oh, he was always the same sort of ass." "I shouldn't have thought," said Battle mildly, "that he was an ass." "Oh, you know what I mean. Of course he wasn't really an ass. Tons of brains and always swotting at things. But deadly serious. No sense of humour."