VIII
　　Thomas Royde came last. He sat, solemn and stiff, blinking a little like an owl¹.
　　He was home from Malaya - first time for eight years. Had been in the habit of staying at Gull's Point ever since he was a boy. Mrs. Audrey Strange was a distant cousin - and had been brought up by his family from the age of nine. On the preceding night he had gone to bed just before eleven. Yes, he had heard Mr. Nevile Strange leave the house, but had not seen him. Nevile had left at about twenty-past ten or perhaps a little later. He himself had heard nothing during the night. He was up and in the garden when the discovery of Lady Tressilian's body had been made. He was an early riser.
　　There was a pause.
　　"Miss Aldin has told us that there was a state of tension in the house. Did you notice this, too?""I don't think so. Don't notice things much.""That's a lie," thought Battle to himself. "You notice a good deal, I should say -more than most."No, he didn't think Nevile Strange had been short of money in any way. He certainly had not seemed to. But he knew very little about Mr. Strange's affairs.
　　"How well did you know the second Mrs. Strange?" "I met her here for the first time." Battle played his last card.
　　"You may know, Mr. Royde, that we've found Mr. Nevile Strange's fingerprints² on the weapon. And we've found blood on the sleeve of the coat he wore last night."He paused. Royde nodded.
　　"He was telling us," he muttered.
　　"I'm asking you frankly³: Do you think he did it?"Thomas Royde never liked to be hurried. He waited for a minute - which is a very long time - before he answered: "Don't see why you ask me. Not my business. It's yours. Should say, myself - very unlikely.""Can you think of anyone who seems to you more likely?"Thomas shook his head. "Only person I think likely can't possibly have done it. So that's that.""And who is that?"
　　But Royde shook his head more decidedly.
　　"Couldn't possibly say. Only my private opinion.""It's your duty to assist the police."
　　"Tell you any facts. This isn't facts. Just an idea. And it's impossible anyway.""We didn't get much out of him," said Leach⁴ when Royde had gone.

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