As he covered the space which intervened between him and Barrant waiting at the gate, he decided that the moment had come to tell all he knew.
"I know now that it couldn't have been much after half-past eight," he said in reply to Barrant's question.
"Did you see Miss Turold there ?" "I was coming to that.

I was standing outside, considering what I would say to my uncle, when the door opened and she and Thalassa came out." "Did you not speak to them ?" "I went to do so, but they disappeared in the darkness of the moors before I could reach them.

I hastened after them, but I got off the road track and wandered about the moors for nearly half an hour before I could find my way back to Flint House." "And found the door open and your uncle lying dead upstairs ?" "Yes." "Why have you not come forward with this story before ?" "How could I expect any one to believe a story which sounds improbable in my own ears?
Even my father refused to believe it--then, or afterwards." "Still, you might have cleared Miss Turold on the question of time.

There was the stopped clock, you know.

You reached Flint House shortly after half-past eight, and went upstairs thirty minutes later." Charles Turold was subtle enough to see that this remark covered more than a trap.