e when the other
propounded a theory by which Inspector Chippenfield had also been misled.

When they arrived at the house in which the crime had been committed,
they found a small crowd of people ranging from feeble old women to
babies in arms, and including a large proportion of boys and girls of
school age, collected outside the gates, staring intently through the
bars towards the house, which was almost hidden by trees. The morbid
crowd made way for the two officers and speculated on their mission. The
general impression was that they were the representatives of a
fashionable firm of undertakers and had come to measure the victim for
his coffin. Inside the grounds the Scotland Yard officers encountered a
police-constable who was on guard for the purpose of preventing
inquisitive strangers penetrating to the house.

"Well, Flack," said Inspector Chippenfield in a tone in which geniality
was slightly blended with official superiority. "How are you to-day?"

"I'm very well indeed, sir," replied the police-constable. He knew
that the state of his health was not a matter of deep concern to the
inspector, but such is the vanity of human nature that he was
pleased at the inquiry. The fact that there was a murdered man in
the house gave mournful emphasis to the transience of human life,
and made Police-Constable Flack feel a glow of satisfaction in being
very well indeed.

Inspector Chippenfield hesitated a moment as if in deep thought. The
object of his hesitation was to give Flack an opportunity of imparting
any information that had come to him while on guard. The inspector
believed in encouraging people to impart information but regarded it as
subversive of the respect due to him to appear to be in need of any. As
Flack made no attempt to carry the conversation beyond the state of his
health, Inspector Chippenfield came to the conclusion that he was an
extremely dull policeman. He introduced Flack to Detective Rolfe and
explained to the latter:

"Flack was on duty on the night of the murder but heard no shots.
Probably he was a mile or so away. But in a way he discovered the
crime. Didn't you, Flack? When we rang up Seldon he came up here and
brought Flack with him. He'll be only too glad to tell you anything you
want to know."

Rolfe took an official notebook from a breast pocket and proceeded to
question the police-constable. The inspector made his way upstairs to the
room in which the crime had been committed,