"Never mind what I think," said the young man, roughly. "I gather you've told 'em all about it now, anyhow. Well, I'll tell you my story as shortly as I can, and you'll see I know damn all about it. If you don't believe me I can't help it. I came along at about a quarter to three, and parked the 'bus in the lane."
"Where were you at 11:50?"
"On the road from Northallerton. My meeting didn't finish till 10:45. I can bring a hundred witnesses to prove it."
Wimsey made a note of the address where the meeting had been held, and nodded to Goyles to proceed.
"I climbed over the wall and walked through the shrubbery."
"You saw no person, and no body?"
"Nobody, alive or dead."
"Did you notice any blood or footprints on the path?"
"No. I didn't like to use my torch, for fear of being seen from the house. There was just light enough to see the path. I came to the door of the conservatory just before three. As I came up I stumbled over something. I felt it, and it was like a body. I was alarmed. I thought it might be Mary—ill or fainted or something. I ventured to turn on my light. Then I saw it was Cathcart, dead."
"You are sure he was dead?"