"And now you, Mr. Thesiger." Battle turned to him. "You struggled with the man--can you tell me anything about him?" "He was a pretty hefty individual--that's all I can say. He gave a few hoarse whispers--that's when I had him by the throat. He said, 'Lemme go, guvnor,' something like that." "An uneducated man, then?" "Yes, I suppose he was. He spoke like one." "I still don't quite understand about the packet," said Loraine. "Why should he throw it down as he did? Was it because it hampered him climbing?" "No," said Battle. "I've got an entirely different theory about that. That packet, Miss Wade, was deliberately thrown down to you--or so I believe." "To _me_?" "Shall we say--to the person the thief thought you were." "This is getting very involved," said Jimmy. "Mr. Thesiger, when you came into this room, did you switch on the light at all?" "Yes." "And there was no one in the room?" "No one at all." "But previously you thought you heard someone moving about down here?" "Yes." "And then, after trying the window, you switched off the light again and locked the door?" Jimmy nodded. Superintendent Battle looked slowly round him. His glance was arrested by a big screen of Spanish leather which stood near one of the bookcases. Brusquely he strode across the room and looked behind it. He uttered a sharp ejaculation, which brought the three young people quickly to his side. Huddled on the floor, in a dead faint, lay the Countess Radzky. CHAPTER XXII THE COUNTESS RADZKY'S STORY The Countess's return to consciousness was very different from that of Jimmy Thesiger. It was more prolonged and infinitely more artistic. Artistic was Bundle's word. She had been zealous in her ministrations--largely consisting of the application of cold water--and the Countess had instantly responded, passing a white, bewildered hand across her brow and murmuring faintly. It was at this point that Bill, at last relieved from his duties with telephone and doctors, had come bustling into the room and had instantly proceeded to make (in Bundle's opinion) a most regrettable idiot of himself. He had hung over the Countess with a concerned and anxious face and had addressed a series of singularly idiotic remarks to her: "I say, Countess. It's all right. It's really all right. Don't try to talk. It's bad for you. Just lie still. You'll be all right in a minute. It'll all come back to you. Don't say anything till you're quite all right. Take your time. Just lie still and close your eyes. You'll remember everything in a minute. Have another sip of water. Have some brandy. That's the stuff. Don't you think, Bundle, that some brandy...?" "For God's sake, Bill, leave her alone," said Bundle crossly. "She'll be all right." And with an expert hand she flipped a good deal of cold water on to the exquisite make-up of the Countess's face.