he
country."

"All of them were your friends?"

"Yes." His face changed expression, ever so little. "Yes, of course."

"You four men were in the lounging-room--and you heard a certain sound.
Will you describe the sound?"

"It was a scream--I can't describe it any further."

"Rather a long-drawn scream, or just a sharp utterance?"

"I would say it was rather long--and very loud."

"You knew at once it was the scream of a man?"

"I thought at first it might be some wild thing--perhaps a panther or a
lynx--even a water bird."

"Yet it must have been a very distressing sound, was it not? Would you
say it was a cry of agony or of fear?"

"Both. Yes--I would say it was a cry of both fear and agony."

"Then what did you do? Tell exactly what happened."

"We went out to investigate. My other guests ran out the same time."

"You didn't see them run out?"

"No, but I met most of them outside. At such times one doesn't observe
closely. We ran down to the shore of the lagoon, at the place we've
indicated to you, and there we found David Florey, lying dead. There
was no one near, and no weapons were lying beside him--at least I didn't
see any. He was lying on his side, and his vest and shirt were torn and
wet with blood. Some of us went at once to telephone--Mr. Killdare, Mr.
Van Hope, Mr. Nopp and myself. The others began to beat through the
garden in search of the murderer."

"No one stayed with the body?"

"No."

"You're perfectly certain Mr. Florey was dead, Mr. Nealman."

"I didn't dream of anything else at the time, Mr. Weldon. He lay
huddled, his face drawn, and certainly there was a terrible wound in his
breast."

"These men that hunted through the gardens and lawns. Were they armed?"

"Mr. Marten had a pistol. The others were unarmed."

"They stayed close together?"

"I don't think they did. I can't say for sure."

"Then what happened?"

"We telephoned, met the searching party, and all of us went back to the
body. It was gone."

"No action or word of any of your guests wakened your suspicions?"

"None whatever."

"You suspect no one?"

"No one. I am absolutely in the dark."

"Remember, as the occupant of the house, you are in a better position to
give us a right steer than any one else. I want you to think hard. You
observed, at no time, any suspicious circumstances?"

"None whatever." Nealman's voice was firm.

"What weapon, would you say, inflicted the wound?"

"I don't know. It