“He’s a dead man,” whispered Chippenfield, nodding his head towards the prisoner, “if this is a sample of their witnesses.”

Kemp had brushed himself up for his appearance in the witness-box.  He wore a new ready-made tweed suit; his thick neck was encased in a white linen collar which he kept fingering with one hand as though trying to loosen it for his greater comfort; and his hair had been plastered flat on his head with plenty of cold water.  His red and scratched chin further indicated that he had taken considerable pains with a razor to improve his personal appearance in keeping with his unwonted part of a respectable witness in a place which knew a more sinister side of him.  As he stood in the witness-box, awkwardly avoiding the significant glances that the Scotland Yard men and the police cast at him, he appeared to be more nervous and anxious than he usually was when in the dock.  But Crewe, who was watching him closely, was struck by the look of dog-like devotion he hurriedly cast at the weary face of the man in the dock before he commenced to give his evidence.

He told the court a remarkable story.  He declared that Birchill had told him on the 16th of August that he had a job on at Riversbrook, and had asked him to join him in it.  When Birchill explained the details witness declined to have a hand in it.  He did not like these put-up jobs.

Mr. Lethbridge interposed to explain to any particularly unsophisticated jurymen that “a put-up job” meant a burglary that had been arranged with the connivance of a servant in the house to be broken into.

Kemp declared that the reason he had declined to have anything to do with the project to burgle Riversbrook was that he felt sure Hill would squeak if the police threatened him when they came to investigate the burglary.  He happened to be at Hampstead on the evening of the 18th of August and he took a walk along Tanton Gardens to have another look at the place which Birchill was to break into.  It had occurred to him that things might not be square, and that Hill might have laid a trap for Birchill.  That was about 9.30 p.m.  He was just able to catch a glimpse of the house through the plantation in front of it.  The mansion appeared all in darkness, but while he looked he was surprised to see a light appear in the upper portion of the house which was visible from the road.  He went through the carriage gates with the intention of getting a closer view of the house.  As he walked along he heard a quick footstep on the gravel walk behind him, and he slipped into the plantation.  Looking out from behind a tree he could discern the figure of a man walking quickly towards the house.  As he drew near him the man paused, struck a match and looked at his watch, and he saw that it was Mr. Holymead.  Witness’s suspicions in regard to a trap having been laid for Birchill were strengthened, and he decided to ascertain what was in the wind.  He crept through