We were all packed pretty tightly in the big room of the inn when the coroner opened his inquiry.

And at the very onset of the proceedings he made a remark which was expected by all of us that knew how these things are done and are likely to go.

We could not do much that day; there would have to be an adjournment, after taking what he might call the surface evidence.

He understood, he remarked, with a significant glance at the police officials and at one or two solicitors that were there, that there was some extraordinary mystery at the back of this matter, and that a good many things would have to be brought to light before the jury could get even an idea as to who it was that had killed the man whose body had been found, and as to the reason for his murder.

And all they could do that day, he went on, was to hear such evidence--not much--as had already been collected, and then to adjourn.
Mr.Lindsey had said to me as we drove along to the inn that I should find myself the principal witness, and that Gilverthwaite would come into the matter more prominently than anybody fancied.