"You were the only stranger who came last night," said Trent digging his pencil thoughtfully into the book.
"No. The expected visitor must have come last night, and have slept here. Mr. Narby will tell you that Mrs. Narby saw him pass through the tap-room at eight this morning."
"Did he not stop to pay the bill?"
"Mrs. Narby thought that the man was Sir Simon." The Inspector rose quickly.
"What?" he asked in an amazed tone.
"I am only telling you what Narby told me, before either of us knew that a murder had taken place," said Herries tartly. "He declared that his wife had seen the gentleman, who occupied this parlour last night,--and he was Sir Simon, as we know--pass through the tap-room at eight as he had arranged."
"As he had arranged?"
"Yes. He paid for the rooms, and a meal last night, so I was told."
"But if he was killed, he couldn't have passed out."
"Not unless he was a spirit," said Herries, with a shrug, "but the man whom Mrs. Narby took to be Sir Simon, certainly, according to her story, had a fur coat on, that belonged to my uncle, the same in which he arrived here last night."