“Quite so, my lord.  But the punishment of the burglar should be left to the law,” said the inspector softly.

“Oh, the deuce take the law!  I prefer to execute my own punishments.  However, to make a long story short, I grew more afraid of a raid when these gypsies came to camp at Abbot’s Wood, as they are just the sort of scoundrels who would break in and steal.”

“Why didn’t you order them off your land?” asked the policeman, alertly.

“I did, and then my brother-in-law sent a message through his secretary, who is staying here, asking me to allow them to remain.  I did.”

“Why did Sir Hubert send that message, my lord?”

“Hang it, man, that’s just what I am trying to learn, and I am the more puzzled because he came last night dressed as a gypsy.”

“He must be one,” said Darby, who had seen Pine and now recalled his dark complexion and jetty eyes.  “It seems, from what I have been told, that he stopped at the Abbot’s Wood camp under the name of Ishmael Hearne.”

“So Silver informed me.”

“Who is he?”

“Pine’s secretary, who knows all his confidential affairs.  Silver declared, when the secret could be kept no longer, that Pine was really a gypsy, called Ishmael Hearne.  Occasionally longing for the old life, he stepped down from his millionaire pedestal and mixed with his own people.  When he was supposed to be in Paris, he was really with the gypsies, so you can now understand why he sent the message asking me to let these vagrants stay.”

“You told me a few moments ago, that you could not understand that message, my lord,” said Darby quickly, and looking searchingly at the other man.  Garvington grew a trifle confused.  “Did I?  Well, to tell you the truth, Darby, I’m so mixed up over the business that I can’t say what I do know, or what I don’t know.  You’d better take all I tell you with a grain of salt until I am quite myself again.”

“Natural enough, my lord,” remarked the inspector again, and quite believed what he said.  “And the details of the murder?”

“I went to bed as usual,” said Garvington, wearily, for the events of the night had tired him out, “and everyone else retired some time about midnight.  I went round with the footmen and the butler to see that everything was safe, for I was too anxious to let them look after things without me.  Then I heard a noise of footsteps on the gravel outside, just as I was dropping off to sleep—­”

“About what time was that, my lord?”

“Half-past one o’clock; I can’t be certain as to a minute.  I jumped up and laid hold of my revolver, which was handy.  I always kept it beside me in case of a burglary.  Then I stole downstairs in slippers and pajamas to the passage,—­oh, here.”  Garvington rose quickly.  “Come with me and see the place for yourself!”

Inspector Darby put on his cap, and with his notebook still in his hand, followed the stout figure of his guide.  Garvington led him through the entrance hall and into a side-passage, which terminated in a narrow door.  There was no one to spy on them, as the master of the house had sent all the servants to their own quarters, and the guests were collected in the drawing-room and smoking-room, although a few of the ladies remained in their bedrooms, trying to recover from the night’s experience.