topped as he walked along the carriage drive, and looked towards the
tree where I was crouching. He called out 'Who is there?' I recognized
his voice. It was Tufnell, the butler. I thought I was discovered, and
crept into some undergrowth, but in a moment he walked on.

"I remained hidden in the undergrowth for some time--an hour or more.
Once I heard footsteps crunching on the gravel-path, then all was silent
again. After waiting for some time longer I decided to walk back to
Weydene and return to London. But I made such a wide detour for fear of
being seen that I lost my way, and it was nearly midnight when I found
myself at Rainchester, on the main line, just in time to catch the last
train to London.

"It was a terrible shock to me when I opened my paper the next morning
and read about poor Violet's murder. I had never thought of anything
like that. At first I could think of nothing but her terrible end, but
then it occurred to me that my own position would be awkward if the loss
of the necklace was discovered. As the papers said nothing about the
necklace I concluded that it had not been missed. But I knew the police
would be searching for clues, and might discover the loss at any moment.
I knew it was dangerous for me to keep it in my possession, so I decided
to get rid of it without delay.

"I thought at first of returning it anonymously, but I immediately
abandoned that idea as too dangerous. Then I thought of dropping it into
the river. It occurred to me, however, that if by any chance the police
discovered that the necklace had been given to me, and I couldn't
produce it if I were questioned, I should be in a worse fix still. So I
tried to think of a safe hiding-place where I could lay my hands on it
in case of necessity. I could think of none. Time went on, and before I
had decided what to do with the thing my man came along and said it was
time to catch the boat train. So in the end I put the necklace into my
pocket and took it to France with me. It seemed as safe there as
anywhere else for the time being.

"I was only going to the base, so I saw the London papers every day. I
was very relieved when I read of the arrest of Hazel Rath for the
murder. I returned to London feeling reasonably safe, though it seemed
strange to me that the loss of the necklace had not been discovered.

"I thought everything was found out when you and that Scotland Yard
detectives visited my flat. But Merrington seemed to have