You were behaving rather strangely, were you not, Mr. Layton?" the
inspector asked.

"I suppose I was."

"If you had heard of any one else acting in the same way, you would have
thought that he could hardly have been in a normal state of mind?"

"I expect I should."

"Yet you say you were quite yourself?"

"I was quite myself."

"And prepared to carry out your threat?"

"I do not know what I was prepared to do. I did not carry it out."

"Later on, one of the guests, Mr. Bolsover, found you creeping round the
house towards an open window?"

"Yes."

"Before he ran after you, do you remember hearing him call to Mr.
Copplestone?"

"Yes, he did."

"Was there any answer?"

"I did not hear one."

"Mr. Bolsover then followed you out in the direction in which the crime
was committed?"

"I do not know where the crime was committed," Layton replied firmly.
"I know nothing of the crime."

"Whoever committed it managed to fulfill your own threat fairly fully."

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Have you any suggestion to make as to who that person may have been?"

"No."

"What, then, did you do when Mr. Bolsover ran after you?"

"I eluded him in the darkness, climbed over the wall again, and went
away."

"Without having fulfilled your object?"

"Yes."

"Had you seen anything at all of Miss Manderson, or Mr. Copplestone?"

"Nothing."

There was a pause. James Layton waited quietly while the inspector
finished off his notes. His face was a trifle paler than before, but he
betrayed no sign of agitation.

"Now," resumed the inspector, "let us go back. You said that to your
mind you had a right to interfere in Miss Manderson's engagement?"

"I did."

"What had given you that right?"

"I am sorry," the young man returned courteously--"but I decline to
answer that question."

"When and where did you first meet her?"

"I cannot tell you."

"You would be wiser to do so."

"Possibly."

The inspector's face darkened.

"Mr. Layton," he said, with unmistakable emphasis, "you had better not
decline to answer any question. I must warn you that your position may
become extremely serious."

"I am afraid," Layton remarked quietly, "that you have already made up
your mind that I am guilty of the crime."

"That is as it may be," replied the inspector. "I am advising you for
your own good. To refuse to answer questions is not the way to allay
suspicion--but to increase it."

"I realize that," the young man