There were two other clocks in Flint House, but nobody had thought of looking at them when the crime was discovered.
Barrant regarded that as a regrettable oversight.

It was always important to know the exact time when a murder was committed.

Thalassa said that the hood clock was going and kept excellent time, but the value of that secondary testimony was impaired by the fact that Thalassa might not be telling the truth.

On the other hand, there was certain presumptive evidence which suggested that he was.

It was a proved fact that Mr.and Mrs.Pendleton and Dr.Ravenshaw left the doctor's house in a motor-car for Flint House not later than half-past nine on the night of the murder.
Assuming that they covered the journey across the moors in five or six minutes and occupied another five minutes in getting upstairs and breaking in the door, the testimony of the hood clock seemed correct, because Dr.
Ravenshaw said death had just taken place, and he and the doctor who made the post-mortem examination were both agreed that Robert Turold could not have lived many minutes after he was shot.