"Thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I should like to see the room Mrs. Heredith occupied. Is it empty?"
"Yes. The wing has been unoccupied since the night of the murder. Shall I show you the way up?"
"It will not be necessary. I know the way, and I shall be there some time."
"In that case I will leave you till lunch-time," responded Musard, as he walked away.
Colwyn did not go upstairs immediately. He took a solitary walk in the woods, thinking over everything that Musard had told him. Then he returned to the house and mounted the staircase to the left wing. His first act was to make a thorough examination of the unused back staircase at the end of the corridor. Then he entered the bedroom Mrs. Heredith had occupied.
The room had the forlorn appearance of disuse. The bed had been partly stripped, and the tall-backed chairs, in prim linen covers, looked like seated ghosts with arms a-kimbo. Colwyn's first act was to draw the heavy window curtains and open the window. He then commenced an examination of the room in the morning sunlight.
His examination was long and thorough, but it brought nothing to light which added to his knowledge of the events of the murder. The time went on, and he was still engrossed in his scrutiny when the door opened and Phil entered the room.
CHAPTER XVII
"Lunch is waiting," said the young man. "My aunt thought that you did not hear the gong, so I came up to tell you."