"How about the time between midnight and two in the morning? Was the hinge working then?"
"Aw, boss," replied Roddy with something like reproach, "you knows 'tain' no queshun uv a hinge arftuh midnight. Arftuh midnight, boss, de screws drap right outen' de hinge, an' dar ain' no mo' hinge. You jes' natchelly keeps your haid down an' don' lif' it no mo'. Naw, suh, dar ain' no hinge to he'p you dat late, onless—onless somebody hit you or stab you."
Braceway became stern. His eyes snapped.
"Didn't you carry Mr. Morley's grips up to his room for him that night, room number four hundred and twenty-one?"
"Yas, suh."
"What time was that?"
"Dat wuz jes' five minutes arftuh two, boss."
"Had you been asleep during the two hours before that?"
"I hates to say it, boss, but I wuz, almos' completely."
"Then, how did you wake yourself up thoroughly enough to know that it was exactly five minutes past two?"