n the field-of-corn side, remember, and got over the
wall. Then I dodged through the park, scratching myself a lot. I
could find nothing. The house seemed quiet enough, so after a quarter
of an hour I had enough of it. I got out over the wall on the other
side and came home. I caught a cold which necessitated my wearing a
great-coat the next day. So there you have my ghost-hunting, and a
fine fool I was to go."

"I wish you had told me this before, Mallow."

"If I had, you would have thought I'd killed the old woman. But I tell
you now, as I want this matter sifted to the bottom. I refused to
speak before, as I didn't wish to be dragged into the case."

"Did you see anything in the cottage?"

"Not a thing. I saw no one--I heard no sound."

"Not even a scream?"

"Not even a scream," said Mallow; "had I heard anything I should have
gone to see what was the matter."

"Strange!" murmured Jennings, "can't you tell the exact time?"

"Not to a minute. It was shortly after ten. I can't say how many
minutes. Perhaps a quarter of an hour. But not suspecting anything
was going to happen, I didn't look at my watch."

Jennings looked thoughtfully at the carpet. "I wonder if the assassin
escaped that way," he murmured.

"Which way?"

"Over the wall and through the park. You see, he could not have gone
up the lane or through the railway path without stumbling against that
policeman. But he might have slipped out of the front door at
half-past ten and climbed as you did over the wall to cross the park
and drop over the other. In this way he would elude the police."

"Perhaps," said Cuthbert disbelievingly; "but it was nearly eleven when
I left the park. If anyone had been at my heels I would have noticed."

"I am not so sure of that. The park, as you say, is a kind of jungle.
The man might have seen you and have taken his precautions. Moreover,"
added the detective, sitting up alertly, "he might have written to Miss
Saxon saying he saw you on that night. And she--"

"Bosh!" interrupted Mallow roughly, "he would give himself away."

"Not if the letter was anonymous."

"Perhaps," said the other again; "but Basil may have been about the
place and have accused me."

"In that case he must explain his reason for being in the neighborhood
at that hour. But he won't, and you may be sure Miss Saxon, for his
sake, will hold her tongue. No, Mallow. Someone accuses you to Miss
Saxon--Basil or another. If