"Sir!"
"I say that is not true!"
The man drew himself up.
"It certainly is true, sir."
"It is not! Will you tell the truth to me—or to the police?"
"I have nothing to tell," the man insisted doggedly.
Monsieur Dupont appeared to be beside himself.
"Dieu!" he cried, "if any harm has come to Mr. Tranter, you shall pay for it—all of you!"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
"I can only repeat, sir, that I have not seen Mr. Tranter, and that, so far as I know, he has not been to this house. He is certainly not here now. You are welcome to search every room for him if you like. Mr. Copplestone left word that the house was to be open to any one who might wish to go over it."