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"I should like to point out, sir," he said, and his strident voice had become stern, his accent strongly marked, "that a murder, a most brutal murder, has been committed in this hoose to-night. What the staircase o' the planets has to do wi' it is not for me to say. But do I understand there is someone else on these premises—someone we have not seen—who was present at the time?"

"There is—but she remains in a state of exaltation, of trance. To arouse her might be fatal."

"That will be for the doctor to decide," said Firth drily. "Ye say that ye're butler was not in?"

"No. Speaking physically, I was alone in the house, Chief Inspector. I wish to make that clear."

"Quite so. And when ye came out into the lobby, would ye be noticing if the front door was open?"

"I opened it myself, and looked out into the street. There was no one in sight, although I could see right to the corner."

"But," Firth persevered, "ye found the door shut?"

"It was shut."

Firth stared at his assistant rather helplessly.