“I don’t know why you should. I can’t see that you need be concerned with these horses. Nor why they were left here or who left them, for that matter. What business was it of yours?”

“Not any, I suppose. It seemed a little odd, considering the time. When I saw whose horses they were I couldn’t imagine why Captain Townsend or his driver had come to this part of the town so late. I never thought of you.... Good-night.”

He turned to go, but Covell detained him.

“Wait!” he ordered. “Say, look here, Griffin, there are a good many odd things about all this, seems to me. I want to know why you— Say, where is this place you call a studio?”

“A quarter of a mile up the beach. Why?”

“Do you usually spend your nights in it?”

“No.”

“You live in—what is it?—Denboro, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are a long way from home, I should say.... Yes, and with a damned poor excuse, if you want to know.”