e remarked casually.

"Yes. He only arrived in London last night."

"Do you know him well?"

"Fairly," Tranter replied. "I am under a great obligation to him. He
saved my life in Paris, a year ago."

"Has he mentioned anything of the business that has brought him to this
country?" the inspector asked, moving to the door.

"Only that he had come to solve a strange riddle."

A faint, rather grim smile passed over the inspector's face.

"I am obliged to you, sir," he said, opening the door. "If you will
kindly return here at ten o'clock in the morning--and bring Monsieur
Dupont with you--I shall ask you to show me the various places you have
referred to in the garden."

When Tranter returned to the waiting-room, he found Monsieur Dupont
asleep in an armchair. The room was very quiet. The danseuse had
subsided into an interim condition of mute tension. Mrs. Astley-Rolfe
was deathly white, but perfectly composed. The men made occasional
remarks to each other.

"Mrs. Astley-Rolfe," the inspector called.

CHAPTER VIII

MRS. ASTLEY-ROLFE

"Madam," said the inspector, placing a chair for her, "I need only
trouble you with one or two questions. You will understand that it is
necessary for me to account for each member of this party, so that I may
know which of them can, or cannot, assist me in my investigations."

She sat down with a weary movement. Her hands trembled slightly.

"It is very dreadful," she shuddered. "Such a frightful crime is
inconceivable. Who could have hated the poor girl so dreadfully?"

"That remains to be discovered," the inspector returned quietly. "I have
no doubt we shall succeed in clearing it up."

"I hope you will," she said fervently. "Please ask me any questions you
like."

The inspector kept his eyes fixed on his note-book.

"You went into the garden with the others after dinner?"

"Yes."

"Will you please tell me with whom, and in what part of the garden, you
passed the time before the crime was discovered?"

"I was alone," she said slowly.

"The whole time?"

"Yes. I was not feeling very well, and did not want the trouble of
talking. I walked away by myself."

"You know the way about the garden quite well?"

"Quite."

"In what direction did you walk?"

"To the croquet lawn."

"Did you see anything of the others?"

"No."

"Or hear any voices?"

"No."

"Nothing until the alarm was given?"

"Nothing. It was an isolated part of the garden. When I