"What you say is right enough, Hugh," said Nikka quietly, "but you forget that Hilyer's gang are hardly the kind to give up without a fight, especially when the man you want is their leader. Also, I fancy you under-rate your enemies' intelligence, if you suppose Toutou or Teodoreschi or whatever his name is will return to Little Depping."
"They prepared an alibi for him when they were here," I cried. "Don't you remember? When they were leaving, Mrs. Hilyer said that they had to put him on the London train before they drove home."
"And you can depend upon it that he took the train," added Nikka. "He probably dropped off at another station, and they met him with a car."
Hugh sat down gloomily.
"I suppose you are right," he admitted. "But I should like to shoot the swine."
"You are very likely to have the opportunity," Nikka comforted him. "That is, supposing you shoot first. Now, see here, you chaps, what are we going to do with this fellow I shot? We can't have any publicity, and while you may persuade servants not to talk about an ordinary burglary, you can't hush them up if it includes a killing."
"What's your suggestion?" asked Hugh.
"Remove him secretly, and tell the servants that nothing is missing and we don't want the affair talked about."
"The idea is good," assented Hugh. "I'm not anxious to have any more sensational interest attached to me, But what can you do with him? The body is in this room. It's got to be taken out. You can't bury a body without digging a grave. That means leaving a trace. Suppose some one should see us or suppose some one should find the grave and investigate. Mind you, old top, whatever our motives, we are violating the law if we don't report the man's death."
"There may be a way out of your difficulty," I remarked.