“I am glad to hear that you think so, sir,” I answered.  “Our precautions do seem a little elaborate, but it is quite certain that the Winchester papers were disturbed.”

“I do not choose to believe it, Ducaine,” the Duke said irritably.  “Kindly remember that!”

“Very good, sir,” I answered.  “There is nothing else you wish to say to me?”

“There is something else,” the Duke answered coldly.  “I understand that the police yesterday, on a sworn affidavit, were granted a search warrant to examine your premises for stolen property.  What the devil is the meaning of this?”

“I think, sir,” I answered, “that the stolen property was a pretext.  It seems that during the last few days has come to light that the man whose body I found on the sands was not washed in from the sea, but was a stranger, who had arrived in Braster the previous evening, and had made inquiries as to where I lived.  It seems to be the desire of the police, therefore, to connect me in some way with the affair.”

The Duke looked at me searchingly.

“I presume,” he said, “that they had something in the nature of evidence, or they would scarcely have been able to swear the affidavit for the search warrant.”

“They have nothing more direct, sir, than that the body was found close to my cottage, that he had presumably left Braster to see me, and that I was foolish enough to persuade the person, of whom the dead man made these inquiries in Braster, not to come forward at the inquest.”

“Stop!  Stop!” the Duke said irritably.  “You did what?”

“The young woman of whom he inquired was close at hand when I discovered the body of the man,” I said.  “She told me about him.  I was a little upset, and I suggested that there was no necessity for her to disclose the fact of having seen him.”

“It was a remarkably foolish thing of you to do,” the Duke said.

“I am realizing it now, sir,” I answered.

“Did this person call on you at all?” the Duke asked.

“No, sir.  You may remember that it was the night of Colonel Ray’s lecture.  He called to see me on his way back and found me ill.  I believe that this person looked in at the window and went away.  I saw no more of him alive after this.”

“You have some idea, I presume, as to his identity?”

“I have no definite information, your Grace,” I answered.

The Duke did not look at me for several moments.

“I am afraid,” he said, stiffly, “that you may experience some inconvenience from this most ill-advised attempt of yours to suppress evidence which should most certainly have been given at the inquest.  However, I have no doubt that your story is true.  I have some inquiries now before me from the police station.  I will do what I can for you.  Good-evening, Ducaine.”

“Good-evening, sir,” I answered.  “I am much obliged to you.”

I walked homewards across the park.  The carriage had gone from the private road, and Ray was alone when I entered.  It was impossible to tell what had happened from his expression.  He sat stretched out in my easy chair, smoking furiously, and his face was impassive.  Grooton served us with dinner, and he ate and drank with only a few curt remarks.  But afterwards, when I was deep in my work, he suddenly addressed me.