But how to get it out of him?
Mr.Flexen had a strong feeling that not only would Mr.Manley afford no help to bring the murderer of Lord Loudwater to justice, but, that owing to the vein of Quixotry in his nature, he was capable of helping the murderer to escape.

That he could do.

He had only to declare that he heard Lord Loudwater snore at twelve o'clock to break down the case against any one of the four persons between whom the crime obviously lay.

Mr.Flexen had a shrewd suspicion that Mr.Manley would fail to remember at what time he had last heard Lord Loudwater's snores till the police had set about securing the conviction of one of the possible murderers.

Then, when the case of the police against the murderer was revealed, he would come forward and break it down.