"It's all very
well your saying that a man escaped by wading this moat, but what
I ask you is, how did he ever get into the house at all if the
bridge was up?"
"Ah, that's the question," said Barker.
"At what o'clock was it raised?"
"It was nearly six o'clock," said Ames, the butler.
"I've heard," said the sergeant, "that it was usually raised at
sunset. That would be nearer half-past four than six at this
time of year."
"Mrs. Douglas had visitors to tea," said Ames. "I couldn't raise
it until they went. Then I wound it up myself."
"Then it comes to this," said the sergeant: "If anyone came from
outside--IF they did--they must have got in across the bridge
before six and been in hiding ever since, until Mr. Douglas came
into the room after eleven."
"That is so! Mr. Douglas went round the house every night the
last thing before he turned in to see that the lights were right.
That brought him in here. The man was waiting and shot him.
Then he got away through the window and left his gun behind him.
That's how I read it; for nothing else will fit the facts."
The sergeant picked up a card which lay beside the dead man on
the floor.
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