"At what hour was that?"
"I've no doubt he could tell you, if you really want to know. I should say it was at about half past ten but I may easily be wrong. Is it so important?"
"It is not very important," explained Harding, "but I am wondering why you did not acknowledge receipt of the money?"
Francis stretched out his hand towards the ash-tray and tapped his cigarette over it. "I said you were getting an insight into the family peculiarities," he said. "An inability to answer letters by return of post is one of them. Is there anything else I can tell you?"
"Several things, Captain Billington-Smith. At what time did you leave this house on Monday morning?"
"I'm led to wonder," said Francis reflectively, "whether you of the Police Force invariably time all your actions? I don't."
"In fact, you don't know when you left the house?"
"I haven't an idea. Somewhere round about eleven. I should imagine."
Harding stepped back to the the wall, and pressed the electric bell. Francis watched him with cynical amusement. "I admire your painstaking attention to detail Inspector."
"Yes," said Harding. "We have to be painstaking in my profession." He sat down in the swivel-chair, and drew out his pocket-book, and made a note in it. When the butler came in answer to the bell, he looked up. "Finch. do you know at what time Captain Billington-Smith left this house on Monday morning?"