CHAPTER VII
Tranter
"Mr. Tranter," said the inspector, "I understand that you were the last person to see Miss Manderson alive."
"I believe I was," Tranter replied.
The inspector sat down again at the table, and re-opened his note-book.
"Will you kindly tell me exactly what happened from the time you went out into the garden after dinner, and the time you left Miss Manderson?"
"We strolled away from the house together, in the direction of the river. The events of the evening seemed to have upset her very much, and she was nervous of the storm. We walked about, I should think, for nearly half an hour, until the lightning became very vivid——"
"Did you see or hear any one in that part of the garden?" the inspector interrupted.
"No. Most of the others went to the lawns, in the opposite direction. When the lightning became very vivid, Miss Manderson said she would return to the house, and asked me to go down to the lawns to find Mr. Copplestone, and send him in to her. She was obviously unwell."
"You will be able to show me the place where you left her?"