“Then you don’t think Prinsep killed George?” Ellery asked.
“No, I’m nearly sure he didn’t. It isn’t, I’m afraid, dear, that I don’t think he was morally capable of it. I simply feel sure he wouldn’t have been such a fool.”
“Not even if George had told what he thought of him about Charis Lang? They’d both probably have lost their tempers pretty badly.”
“No, Bob, not even then. At least I’m nearly sure. I’m convinced there was only one murderer. Remember they were both killed the same way.”
“Well, let’s assume you’re right. Then if what you said about the phone message was right, it was probably sent after one of the murders—I mean immediately after. The murderer wouldn’t have wasted time on the premises.”
“Yes, that means that 11:30, or thereabouts, is the critical time. Then half-past ten is the earliest possible. Winter went up to get John’s letters then, and everything was all right.”
“Oh, but George was seen long after that. Winter let him in by the front door at a quarter to eleven.”
“Yes, it was certainly George he let in. They spoke, and he couldn’t have made a mistake. That narrows it a bit.”
“Then probably it all happened after a quarter to eleven—unless George found Prinsep dead when he got upstairs, and chased the murderer down the private stairs into the garden, and got killed by him out there. How does that strike you, Joan?”
“It’s possible, Bob; but it looks as if we couldn’t fix the time very nearly. It was somewhere between a quarter to eleven and half-past; but that’s as near as we can get.”
“Let it stand there: and now let’s follow out our original plan, and see what we know about everybody who might have been mixed up in it. Let’s write it down. I’ll write.”
Losing no time, they got to work. First, they made a list of everyone who had been present at the dinner on the evening of the tragedy—Sir Vernon. John Prinsep, George Brooklyn and his wife, Carter and Mrs. Woodman, Lucas, Mary Woodman—and themselves. Next came the servants—Winter, Morgan, Agnes Dutch, the two other maids, the hired waiters. These were the only persons who, as far as they knew, had been in the house that night. Next, they wrote down exactly what they knew of the doings of every one of these people, leaving spaces in which they could fill in further particulars as they discovered more. When it was finished the list and comments took this form:—
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Vernon | Went to bed 10:15 | Joan, Mary Woodman |
| Remained in room | ||
| Joan | With Sir Vernon 10:15 to 10:30 | Sir Vernon |
| With Mary Woodman, 10:30 to 10:40 | Mary Woodman | |
| Then bed | Self |
“That ‘self’ looks very suspicious,” said Joan, as Ellery wrote it down.
“Yes, we are suspecting ourselves as well as others. I strongly suspect you.”
“And I you. But get on.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Woodman | In landing-lounge till after 11 | Joan to 10:40 |
| Then bed | Self |
“Another suspect,” said Ellery.
“Poor Mary,” said Joan. “She couldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Then I suspect her all the more.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Downstairs with servants till after 11:30 | Other servants |
| Lets in Morgan soon after 11:30 | Morgan | |
| Then bed | Self |
“He went to bed. But did he stay there? That’s the point.”
“Put down ‘Did he stay there? No clear evidence.’ After all, Morgan says he did.”
“Yes, but Morgan isn’t sure.”
“We come to him next.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan | At Hammersmith till 11 | Unconfirmed, but may be capable of confirmation |
| Arrived at Liskeard House soon after 11:30 | Winter | |
| Went to bed | Winter | |
| Stayed there | Winter |
“I say, there wouldn’t be much evidence of what Morgan did, if it wasn’t for Winter. Suppose they were both in it. Winter’s story depends on Morgan’s almost as much as Morgan’s on his.”
“We suspect them both. At least I don’t, but I mean to pretend to do so. Who’s next?”
“Agnes Dutch.”
“Put her down.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Agnes Dutch | Dismissed by Joan for night 10:30 | Joan |
| Went to bed |
“Next, please.”
“The maidservants.”
“They’re all in the same position. Put them down.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Maidservants | Downstairs till after 11 | Winter and waiters One another |
| Then bed |
“More collusion.”
“Don’t be silly. Now we come to the people who weren’t sleeping in the house.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Marian Brooklyn | Back to hotel 10:20 | Carter and Helen Woodman |
| Talked with Helen till 11:30 in Helen’s room | Helen Woodman | |
| Then bed | No confirmation |
“But she’s out of it anyway.”
“Yes, poor Marian.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Carter Woodman | Back to hotel 10:20 | Marian and Helen |
| In hotel writing-room till 11:45 | Told above had letters to write | |
| Gave letters to porter to post 11:45 | Porter and liftman |
“That seems all right.”
“Yes. Helen’s next.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Helen Woodman | Back to hotel 10:20 | Marian and Carter |
| With Marian till 11:30 | Marian | |
| Then bed | Carter Woodman after 11:45 |
“And now we come to you, Bob.”
“Oh, I’m no use. I have a proved alibi already. I’m in the same position as your revered stepfather.”
“Put yourself down all the same.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Ellery | Walking about 10:15 to about midnight | Gloucester |
| Home and bed | Landlady |
“But did you stay in bed?”
“And slept like a top.”
“That only leaves Uncle Harry.”
“Oh, he left in his car at 10:15, and went straight back to Hampstead. He told me the police had made inquiries, and confirmed that he got back at 10:45, and did not go out again.”
“Put him down.”
| Persons | Movements | Evidence for Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas | Left Liskeard House by car 10:15 | All of us |
| Arrived home 10:45 and stayed there | Police satisfied |
“And that’s everybody.”
“Yes, and I don’t know that we’re much further. There is no one on this list you can possibly suspect, except perhaps Morgan, and he can hardly have done it unless Winter was in it too.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Then whom do you suspect.”
“No one and everyone. I want time to think that list over. Leave it with me, and I’ll put on my considering cap, and tell you tomorrow.”
“Don’t you go suspecting poor Winter, like the police.”
“My dear Joan, this is most undetective-like advice. You ought to make a point of suspecting everybody.”
“I make an exception of Winter.”
“I’m afraid you want to make an exception of everybody. I have a far more suspicious nature.”
“Is there anything I can do while you’re thinking it over?”
“Yes. Go and see Carter Woodman and find
