"Oh, early, quite early! I left his study at a quarter to ten. John, I know it sounds strange, but I went to see him on a perfectly trivial matter. I - I wanted to know if he'd go with me to the Dimberleys' affair next week, that's all."
He paid no heed to this, but picked up the newspaper and studied the front page. "I see that Fletcher's body was discovered at 10.05 p.m.," he remarked. He looked steadily across at his wife. "And you know nothing?"
"I saw a man come up the path," she said in a low voice. "That's why I hid behind the bush."
He folded the newspaper very exactly. "You saw a man come up the path? Well? Who was it?"
"I don't know."
"Do you mean you didn't recognise him?"
"Yes - that is, I couldn't see him distinctly. I - I only know that he went into the study, through the window."
"Have you told the police this?"
"Yes, I - I told them."
"Did the Superintendent ask you if you would be able to recognise this mysterious man if you saw him again?"