“Very shortly after I left Mrs. Ives at her home. I actually didn’t know what I was doing. I took the wrong turn in the back road and drove around for a bit before I got straightened out, but it couldn’t have been for very long.”

“How long did you stay?”

“Until it began to get light; I didn’t look at the time.”

“You did not disturb the contents of the cottage in any way?”

“No; I left everything exactly as it was.”

“Nor remove anything?”

“Nothing—nothing whatever.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bellamy. That will be all, unless Mr. Farr has any questions.”

“As a matter of fact, I have one or two questions,” remarked Mr. Farr, leisurely but grim. “You, too, are highly resourceful, Mr. Bellamy, aren’t you?”

“I should hardly say that I had proved myself so.”