and knees, with her back
towards the staircase, swabbing vigorously, and did not see the
detective descending the stairs.

"Good morning, Ann," said Colwyn, pleasantly.

She turned her head quickly, with a start, and Colwyn could have sworn
that the quick glance she gave him was one of fear. But she merely said,
"Good morning, sir," and went on with her work, while the detective
stood looking at her. She finished the passage in a few minutes and got
awkwardly to her feet, wiping her red hands on her coarse apron.

"You and I are the only early risers in the house, it seems, Ann," said
Colwyn, still regarding her attentively.

"If you please, sir, Charles is up, and gone out to the canal to see if
there are any fish for breakfast on the master's night lines."

"Fresh fish for breakfast! Well, that's a very good thing," replied the
detective, reflecting it was just as well that he had got in before
Charles went out. "What time does Mr. Benson come down?"

"About half-past seven, sir, as a general rule, but sometimes he has his
breakfast in bed."

"That's not a bad idea at times, Ann. But I see you are impatient to get
on with your work. Would you mind if I went into the kitchen and talked
to you while you are preparing breakfast?"

Again there was a gleam of fear in the woman's eyes as she looked
quickly at the detective, but her voice was self-possessed as she
replied:

"Very well, sir," and turned down the passage which led to the kitchen.

"What time was it when you turned off the gas the night before last?"
asked Colwyn, when the kitchen was reached. "You told us yesterday that
it was about half-past ten, but you did not seem very sure of the exact
time. Can you not fix it accurately? Try and think."

The look the woman gave Colwyn this time was undoubtedly one of relief.

"Well, sir," she said, "I usually turn off the gas at ten o'clock, but,
to tell you the truth, I was a little bit late that night."

"A little bit late, eh? That means you forgot all about it."

"I did forget about it, and that's the truth. The master told me not to
turn off the meter until the gentlemen in the parlour upstairs had gone
to bed. Charles told me when he came down from the upstairs parlour with
the last of the dinner things that the gentlemen were still sitting in
front of the fire talking, but some time after Charles had come down and
gone to bed I heard them moving about upstairs, as though they were
going to their ro