to my senses the dawn was creeping in through my bedroom window. I was
very cold, and dazed. I crept into bed without taking off my clothes,
and fell asleep. When I awoke it was broad daylight, and as I lay in bed
I heard the kitchen clock chime seven.

"I got up, and went into grandmother's room. A little while afterwards
Ann came up with some tea, and she told me that Mr. Penreath had gone
away early, without having any breakfast. She told me that she had found
Mr. Glenthorpe's room empty, with the key in the outside of the door.
She was afraid something had happened to him, so she had sent for
Constable Queensmead. I did not tell her what I had seen in the night. I
wanted to be alone, to think. I could not understand how Mr.
Glenthorpe's body had disappeared from his room. I think I hoped that I
would presently wake up and find that what I had seen during the night
was some terrible dream. But Ann came up a little later and told me that
Mr. Glenthorpe's body had been discovered in the pit on the rise, and
that Mr. Ronald, as she called Mr. Penreath, was suspected of having
murdered him.

"When she told me that I felt as though my blood turned to ice. I knew
it was true--I knew that he had killed Mr. Glenthorpe because he wanted
money--but I knew that in spite of all I wanted to shield and help him.
I kept in my grandmother's room all day, determined to keep silence, and
tell nobody about what I had seen during the night. The one thing that
worried me was the knife which I had put behind the picture on the wall.
I tried once to go into the room and get it, but the door was locked,
and I dared not ask for the key.

"Then in the afternoon the police came from Durrington. I did not know
who you were when you came with them into my grandmother's room, but as
soon as I saw you I was afraid, though I tried hard not to let you see
it. I knew you were cleverer than the others. But your eyes seemed to go
right into mine, and search my soul. I asked my father afterwards who
you were, and he said your name was Mr. Colwyn, and that you were a
London detective. I had read about you; I knew that you were famous and
clever, and after seeing you I felt that you would be sure to discover
my secret, and put Mr. Penreath in prison.

"That night when I was downstairs, I heard you and the police officer
talking in the room where you had dined, and I listened at the door.
When I heard you say that you were not certain who committed the