"Did you perhaps know that it would be useless?"
"But it wouldn't have been," objected Neville.
"Your uncle had not warned you that he would not be responsible for your debts?"
Neville reflected. "I don't think so. But I do remember that he was most annoyed about an episode in my career that happened in Budapest. It was all about a Russian woman, and I didn't really want Ernie to interfere. But he had a lot of hidebound ideas about the honour of the name, and prison being the final disgrace, and he would insist on buying me out. He didn't like me being County Courted either. I've always thought it would probably save a lot of bother to be declared bankrupt, but Ernie couldn't see it in that light at all. However, I don't want to speak ill of the dead, and I expect he meant well."
"Unpaid bills do not worry you, Mr. Fletcher?"
"Oh, no! One can always fly the country," said Neville, with one of his sleepy smiles.
Hannasyde looked rather searchingly at him. "I see. A novel point of view."
"Is it? I wouldn't know," said Neville innocently.
Helen, who had been leaning back in her chair, as though exhausted, suddenly said: "But I don't see how it could have been Neville. It isn't a bit like him, and anyway, how could he have done it in the time? He wasn't anywhere in sight when I left the house."
"Peeping at you over the banisters, darling," explained. Neville. "When you think that Helen was in the study at 10.00 p.m., and my dear friend Malachi at 10.05, I had a lot of luck, hadn't I? What do you think, Superintendent?"