"Because—you say you saw——?"
"I saw everything—practically everything that happened."
The blue eyes stared. "How ... but you say you're going to show us. What's the next? Ah yes—After you'd fooled about with that candle and liqueur-jar you went into the studio and we followed you. You hadn't even put the candle out; I had to take it from you if you remember. Well, the next thing you did was to tell us you were going to tell us all about it. But you never did."
"Steady on, Cecil—that wasn't the next thing I did."
"What was, then?"
"I drew the studio blinds."
Hubbard nodded. "So you did. The police were getting those chaps down. I remember."
"That wasn't my reason."
"Then what was?"
"Well, I'll show you that too presently. But let me make something else clear first. I was all excited and upset, and really didn't know half I was doing. I'd just seen that crash, remember, and one man shoot another, and then another fellow altogether slide his hand out and pouch the pistol. It was rather much to spring on a fellow without any warning at all. I'd simply gone down to get something to drink, you know, not to——" He failed to find words for it, and motioned to Hubbard to continue.