Anthony drained his last cup of tea and pushed his chair away from the breakfast table.

“Fitch!” He called the butler over to his side. Fitch listened to him.

“Yes, sir. With pleasure. I think it’s the July issue. I will obtain it for you, sir; in just a moment!”

I think the rest of the company were somewhat surprised to see the excellent Fitch return with the A.B.C.

“Leaving us, Bathurst?” queried Sir Charles Considine. “You haven’t forgotten our——?”

“No, sir. Only taking a run up to town. I shall be back this evening.”

“Want a companion?” I asked.

He thought for a moment or two. “Awfully good of you, Bill—but if you don’t mind, I’ll go alone. I’m not altogether sure that I shan’t be wasting my time—so I’ve no desire to waste yours, possibly!” He smiled his disarming smile. I was immediately mollified.

“Have the Morris-Oxford, Bathurst, to run you to the station,” offered Sir Charles.
238

“Thank you very much, sir, I shall be delighted. I’ll leave here about twenty minutes past ten. I’ll just go and get ready.”

“What’s taking him away, Bill?” said Jack Considine. “I’m not inquisitive I hope, but is it this Prescott business?”

“I can’t say,” I replied. “Very probably, though.”

“I think it must be,” announced Sir Charles. “Baddeley was up here again yesterday, you know. I had a moment with him. I gave him a rub or two concerning the inquest.” He chuckled. “He’s a very decent fellow though, and very despondent at the moment over his lack of success in regard to, what I am informed, is now known to the world in general as ‘The Billiard Room Mystery.’” He sighed. “Such is fame, Helen! Anyhow, when I realized that he was genuinely sore and upset, I tried a different tack. I’m afraid this case would have tried a greater brain than Baddeley’s.”

“Well, I for one, sincerely hope the affair will be settled,” intervened Captain Arkwright. “We are all more or less under a cloud while it remains unsolved—that’s how I feel about it. And others besides us—Hornby, Tennant, Daventry—and all the fellows that were here at the time.”

“That’s very true,” agreed our host. “The whole house is under a cloud—the Cricket Week will always have this unholy reminiscence hanging over it—even after the whole tangle is cleared away—if it ever is cleared away. Of course there is less strain for all of us since Mrs. Prescott returned to London.”
239

The door opened and Anthony came quickly in.

“The car’s waiting, sir, so with your permission, I’ll get away.”

He waved a good-bye and shortly afterwards we heard the car go humming away down the road. He reached the station with a good five minutes to spare before his train (as he related afterwards) so he sauntered to the booking office to get his ticket. Surely he knew that figure just in advance of him!

“Good-morning, Inspector!” Baddeley wheeled quickly at the unexpected greeting.

“Why, it’s Mr. Bathurst. Going to Victoria, sir?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“Thought of taking a run up.” He grinned. “Though I didn’t know I was coming till this morning, itself.”

“Good! We’ll travel together then, Inspector.”

The train rumbled in and the pair sought, with success, an empty compartment.

Baddeley was in a communicative mood.

“Major Hornby has left Canterbury, Mr. Bathurst. You may be interested to know that. I made inquiries last night. He’s stopping at a private hotel in the Kensington district—near Gloucester Road.”

Mr. Bathurst was interested—but not tremendously. He was not aware of the Inspector’s desire to get into touch again with Major Hornby. How had the Inspector fared over the little matter of the cigar stub?

“A dead end, Mr. Bathurst!”
240

Mr. Bathurst complimented his companion upon the particular aptness of his reply, but was assured with transparent sincerity that it had been unintentional. How far had the Inspector taken the line of his investigation?

“It was a commonplace brand of cigar—sold most probably in a ‘pub’—to trace it would entail a long and arduous task—and then might prove to be unilluminative. I abandoned the idea!”

Then the Inspector was not at work on it this morning?

“No, as I indicated, I’m desirous of having another interview with Major Hornby. Are you leaving Considine for good?”

Mr. Bathurst was most certainly doing nothing of the kind. He was merely paying a visit to a friend. He was returning to Considine that evening—all being well.

“A great weight of what I will term—police opinion is in favor of charging Webb and his wife with the murder of Mr. Prescott. Up to the moment I have stalled them off. I don’t think Webb’s the man. That shoe-lace business doesn’t spell Webb to my way of thinking, and as for the lace found in the ‘Spider’s’ pocket—one lace is very like another.”

Mr. Bathurst assented. But was rather surprised that Webb had not yet been charged with the murder.

“I’m not denying that a very strong ‘prima facie’ case could be made against him,” said Baddeley—“because it undoubtedly could.”
241

“Had Webb an alibi from any time of the fatal night?” asked Mr. Bathurst.

“Yes, he’s attempted to put one forward from about two-fifteen. He states that he was with a confederate—so it comes from a source that is suspect—a good counsel would speedily demolish it.”

Mr. Bathurst agreed. But there was Andrew Whitney to be considered. His evidence would help Webb considerably. He considered it was very sporting of In............