he had the jury and witnesses ready for him.

"How many witnesses do you propose to call?" said Colwyn.

"Five: Queensmead, Benson, the waiter, and the two men who found the
footprints leading to the pit and who recovered the body and brought it
here. That's enough for a committal. The coroner will no doubt bring a
doctor from Heathfield to certify the cause of death. I've got all the
statements ready. I took Benson's and the waiter's yesterday. The
waiter's evidence is the principal thing, of course. Do you remember
suggesting to me last night the possibility of this murder having been
committed by one of Mr. Glenthorpe's workmen with a grudge against him?
Well, it's a very strange thing, but Queensmead was telling me this
morning that one of Mr. Glenthorpe's workmen had a grudge against him.
He's a chap named Hyson, the local ne'er-do-well, who was almost
starving when Mr. Glenthorpe came to the district. Glenthorpe was warned
against employing him, but the fellow got round him with a piteous tale,
and he put him on. He proved to be just as ungrateful as the average
British workman, and caused the old gentleman a lot of trouble. He seems
to have been a bit of a sea lawyer, and tried to disaffect the other
workmen by talking to them about socialism, and the rights of labour,
and that sort of rubbish. When I heard this I had the chap brought to
the inn and cross-questioned him a bit, but I am certain that he had
nothing to do with the murder. He's a weak, spineless sort of chap, full
of argument and fond of beer--that's his character in the village--and
the last man in the world to commit a murder like this. I flatter
myself," added Superintendent Galloway in a tone of mingled
self-complacency and pride, "that I know a murderer when I see one."

"Have you made any inquiries about umbrellas?" asked Colwyn.

"Yes. Apparently Ronald did not bring an umbrella with him, though it's
cost me some trouble to establish that fact. It is astonishing how
unobservant people are about such things as umbrellas, sticks, and
handbags. Most people remember faces and clothes with some accuracy, but
cannot recall whether a person carried an umbrella or walking-stick.
Charles is not sure whether Ronald carried an umbrella, Benson thinks he
did not, and Ann is sure he didn't. The balance of evidence being on the
negative side, I assume that Ronald did not bring an umbrella to the
inn, because it was more likely to have been noticed if he